NAIROBI, Kenya – Intern doctors in Kenya will now earn an average monthly salary of Sh206,000 following the government’s commitment to fully implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has announced.
KMPDU Secretary-General Dr. Davji Atellah confirmed that the new pay structure will cover 1,800 interns across the country, including medical officers, dentists, and pharmacists.
“All intern doctors will be compensated according to the CBA, with an average earning of Sh206,000. Other interns will be remunerated based on their respective schemes of service,” Atellah said on Tuesday.
The union boss emphasized that the objective is not only to protect the integrity of the CBA but also to safeguard the welfare and dignity of young healthcare professionals.
“This is about motivating our future doctors and ensuring that the healthcare system is adequately staffed and patient care is not compromised,” he said.
Atellah also lauded Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale for what he described as effective and responsive leadership, which had helped resolve the long-running dispute that had seen intern doctors stage multiple strikes and demonstrations.
“Duale has delivered for both Kenyans and healthcare workers. We should always commend good work and good leadership,” he stated.
Since assuming office, Duale has pledged to root out cartels from the health ministry and streamline service delivery, while assuring the public that access to affordable and quality healthcare would remain non-negotiable.
In line with that vision, his ministry has overseen the reinstatement of the CBA provisions, although implementation delays and pending issues had threatened renewed unrest.
Long-Running Conflict
The internship stalemate began after the government attempted to reduce intern doctors’ salaries from Sh206,000 to Sh70,000, citing financial constraints.
The move sparked widespread outrage and months of demonstrations.
Even after an agreement was reached to restore the original salary, many interns reported delays in deployment, non-payment, and substandard working conditions — including long shifts, mental burnout, and reports of suicides linked to financial stress.
The KMPDU has repeatedly warned that unless the full CBA terms are implemented, further industrial action remains on the table.
“We are not just talking about salaries. We’re talking about humane working hours, mental wellness, and professional respect,” Atellah said.
The medical fraternity has called for systemic reforms in the internship programme, urging the government to treat junior medics as essential front-line workers rather than dispensable labour.
As Atellah concluded:
“Let this be the last time intern doctors are pushed to the streets to demand what is already written in law. It’s time to focus on healing Kenyans — not fighting for our right to serve them.”
