By Titus Too and Faith Ronoh
Doctors formally downed tools and paralysed crucial medical services in selected facilities in the country.
Medical services at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) were paralysed when doctors and other health practitioners downed their tools.
Doctors, Nurses and paramedics stormed out of the hospital and staged separate demonstrations along the streets of Eldoret town for the better part of Thursday morning.
The entry to the Accident and emergency department at the hospital was sealed with a chain and lock while some patients who had gone to seek medication remained helpless as others left for other facilities.
Nurses and paramedics held a joint protest demonstration that started at the emergency wing of the hospital as they demanded for better terms and allowances.
The placard waving nurses and paramedics started their procession as doctors regrouped near the Moi University School of medicine before pouring into the streets and causing heavy snarl-ups.
“It is quite unfortunate for this government to ignore listening to doctors until we resort into this strike,” said Dr Richard Mogeni, the North Rift Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPPDU).
Speaking to the press before the procession, Mogeni said it is unfortunate that a return to work formula signed by the government and the union has not been implemented nine months after it was agreed.
Among others issues, Dr Mogeni said, the return to work agreement had proposed recruitment of 200 more doctors, payment of fees for the doctors undergoing specialist training and promotion of doctors who had stagnated in one position for long.
“After delays in initiating negotiations in the agreement, the government finally suspended it indefinitely and only 57 doctors have been recruited although funds had been set aside for 200 doctors,” he said.
The official said call and extraneous allowances have been selectively paid with many doctors in public institutions missing out.
