Kenya doctors are going back to work after their union signed an agreement with the government on Wednesday ending a national strike that began in March and left patients neglected.
Davji Atellah, the Secretary General of the doctors’ union, said the doctors agreed to return to work, believing that the government would stick to its side of the agreement and implement decisions reached regarding poor remuneration and working conditions.
Kenya’s Health Minister Susan Wafula praised the doctors, saying they had proven to be better negotiators than the government.
The end of the strike brings succour to millions of Kenyans who depend on public hospitals for health services, which had been severely affected by the strike. Some hospitals had resorted to hiring temporary doctors for emergency services as the strike persisted
In 2017, doctors at Kenya’s public hospitals embarked on an industrial action to demand better wages and working conditions. The strike paralysed health services, resulting in several deaths.
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