The Kenyan government has threatened to withhold the salaries and union remittances of striking doctors in the East African country. The decision was made after unsuccessful negotiations with the doctors’ union.
Susan Nakhumicha, Kenya’s cabinet secretary for health, said, “We will be asking our council to appeal to the court to review the orders that had been issued initially so that we are allowed to take the necessary action to ensure that Kenyans continue to enjoy health care services.”
Doctors in Kenya have been on strike since March 15, 2024, asking the Kenyan government to fulfil its agreement signed in 2017. Because of the strike, the health sector has become underfunded and understaffed, resulting in vulnerable and paralyzed medical services in public hospitals across the country.
VOA reports that the government claims to have resolved all issues raised by the striking doctors, except for the salary of intern doctors, which is said to be the deal breaker. The challenge of reaching an agreement is what pushed the government to threaten the medics in a bid to force them back to their jobs.