Doctors' union wants interns out of Kiambu as strike bites day 55

Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union Secretary General Davji Atellah alongside doctors in Kiambu during a press conference.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has asked the Ministry of Health (MOH) to withdraw one hundred fifty medical interns from Kiambu County as a doctors' strike paralyses hospitals for fifty-five days.

The union explained that the interns, deployed to Kiambu in 2024, cannot serve patients or receive proper supervision due to the prolonged dispute.

"We have formally written to the Ministry of Health requesting the immediate transfer of the one hundred fifty medical interns out of Kiambu County to other hospitals where they can serve effectively," noted Secretary General Davji Atellah of KMPDU in a statement on Monday, July 21.

Atellah observed that the absence of senior doctors for mentorship in Kiambu has disrupted patient care and intern training, making the environment unsafe.
"Deploying trainees in an environment where such support is absent undermines the quality of training required under internship programme guidelines," explained Atellah.

The union directly called on the Kiambu government to take responsibility for the crisis, which has crippled health services across the county.

"This is day fifty-five of the strike, and we do not see an end in sight. As a union, we will remain on strike until justice is served," added Atellah.

The union has also scheduled a National Advisory Council (NAC) meeting to deliberate on the crisis and has issued a notice for a demonstration in Kiambu on July 24.

Atellah stated that KCG has ignored court orders and failed to appear in court despite multiple summons regarding the dispute.

"We expect the courts to take decisive action on Wednesday, July 23, including jailing those responsible for contempt," noted Atellah.

Doctors in Kiambu began their strike in late May, demanding payment of salary arrears, delayed promotions, medical cover and improved working conditions.

Atellah explained that maintaining professional standards in medical training should take precedence over administrative convenience as interns continue to face challenges in Kiambu.

This comes days after pre-interns were directed to collect their posting letters in person at the ministry headquarters in Nairobi.

The union urged the government to repost the interns to counties with functioning health systems to protect patient care and uphold internship training guidelines.