Kisumu doctors threaten to strike

KMPDU branch secretary Lameck Omweri. He said union officials are open for dialogue before the notice expires. [File, Standard]

Health care services in Kisumu risk being paralysed after doctors issued a seven-day strike notice, barely a day after other cadres of healthcare staff threatened to strike over stalled promotions.

In a strike notice addressed to the county secretary, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has accused the county government of failing to effect promotions and pay arrears since July, last year.

The notice explained that the county administration has failed to issue promotion letters to doctors interviewed by Public Service Board and kept a number of doctors on probation for over three years.

The county has 30 doctors consultants who are yet to be promoted and 31 who have been on probation since 2016. They had been slotted to be absorbed and thereafter promoted.

“We issue a seven-day strike notice. Within the period, we hope you will keep your word, failure to which we will commence a paralysing strike,” read part of the notice.

KMPDU branch secretary Lameck  Omweri said union officials are open for dialogue before the notice expires.

On Tuesday nurses, clinical officers, laboratory technologists and pharmacists vowed to strike if the county government failed to implement stalled promotions of 876 healthcare workers as ordered by a court.