Doctors in
Kenya have denied claims by the government that they had called off their work
boycott.
The government
stated the doctors had resumed work, effectively ending the over three-month
boycott.
But a spot
check at the hospitals revealed that most doctors were not back at work, and
the doctors union also said the strike was still on.
Amicable
solution
The Kenya
Medical Association Secretary-General, Prof Lukoye Atwoli, said: "Not true
yet. Efforts are still ongoing to get an amicable solution."
However, a
statement posted on the Ministry of Health official website indicated that
doctors heeded the government’s order to resume work so that negotiations could
resume.
“Striking
doctors have heeded the government’s call to resume work after the government
stopped further negotiation with their union. A spot check of major county public
health facilities reveals that doctors have started streaming back to hospitals
across the country to resume duty,” the statement read.
The union
It added that
Makueni County, east of Nairobi, was leading with 50 per cent of the doctors
having reported back to work.
At the
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu, there was no
doctor in sight.
Said the
hospital’s doctor in charge Aggrey Akula: “They are not working. If anybody
tells you otherwise, treat that as rumour. They have told us that they are
waiting for a word from the union before deciding whether or not to resume
work.”
Remained cagey
The chief
officer at the Health Department in Makueni County, Patrick Musyoki, declined
to confirm or deny reports that doctors had resumed work, citing fear of
victimisation.
“Let me not
comment on that, I don’t want to be victimised,” he told our reporter.
The Director
of Medical Services in Kiambu County Andrew Toro also remained cagey, saying
they would only know how many doctors were back to work once they conduct a
headcount.
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