NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has issued a 30-day ultimatum to the government, demanding a resolution to the ongoing crisis over intern doctors’ salaries.
Failure to address the issue, the union warns, will result in nationwide demonstrations starting March 18, 2025.
KMPDU Secretary-General Dr. Davji Atellah has taken a firm stance against any reductions in doctors’ wages, accusing the government of dishonesty and warning of mass protests if the agreed-upon pay is not upheld.
The dispute centers on a decision by the Ministry of Health to cut salaries for medical interns from Ksh.206,000 to Ksh.70,000 per month, a move that contradicts the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The government has cited financial constraints, with Health Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Barasa linking the wage reduction to funding challenges, including a freeze on USAID support under policies implemented by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
But Dr. Atellah has dismissed these justifications, insisting that the Kenyan government must prioritize its healthcare workers.
“If Trump is putting the U.S first, the government needs to put Kenyans first,” he said. “If wages are to be reduced, it should not start with intern doctors—it should start with the presidency and ministers.”
The KMPDU has called for an urgent meeting with health stakeholders next week to discuss the matter, while also instructing doctors nationwide to prepare for potential industrial action.
Dr. Atellah has made it clear that the union is not interested in negotiating pay cuts but rather in ensuring that intern doctors receive their full wages as per the CBA.
“We will not entertain discussions about reducing salaries,” he stated. “The only discussion we will have is about when and where to post the interns.”
The union’s latest warning follows a months-long standoff with the government over doctors’ remuneration, with a previous strike in December 2024 only being called off after assurances that the CBA would be implemented.
With the government now backtracking, another round of strikes appears imminent, potentially crippling the country’s healthcare system.
