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City doctors stay away from hospitals despite sack threat


Nairobi doctors will not resume work despite threats by the county government to sack them following a persistent strike.

The doctors, who have boycotted work for over 10 days, rejected promotion letters issued to them by City Hall following a return to work agreement signed on the September 30, 2016.

The doctors said that the county promoted 53 doctors to the wrong job groups, completely disregarding the schemes of service guidelines.

“More than 150 doctors are affected with issues of pending confirmations and
promotions/job group re-designation,”read a statement by the KMPDU Nairobi Branch Secretary Thuranira Kaugiria .

CONFIRMATION LETTERS

Dr Thuranira said that only 32 out of 118 had been issued with confirmation letters, meaning 86 Doctors who have successfully served their probation duration have not received their confirmation letters.

Dr Thuranira said the county had also resorted to issuing threats of sacking  and going to court instead on honoring what they had promised on two different occasions.

During a strike that lasted 19 days in September, the county government had agreed to promote all doctors by October 7. The doctors  resumed their strike after City Hall failed to fulfill the promise.

Dr Thuranira said that the County Secretary Dr Robert Ayisi had signed a commitment letter to adhere to all aspects of the agreement, but had  on Monday  made a turnabout and advertised their positions.

REJECTED PROMOTION

However, speaking to Nairobi News, the County Executive Health Dr Bernard Muia said that the doctors had disrespected the county leadership by rejecting the promotion letters issued.

Dr Muia said instead of the doctors voicing their dissatisfaction of the letters in a better way, they wrote on the same letters issued and mailed them back.

The doctors’ union is also blamed for walking out on a meeting during negotiations on Friday and Saturday last week, a move that angered county officials.

“How can we give doctors letters of promotions and instead of writing an official letter disregarding the appointment they take a pen and write on the clause they are dissatisfied then mail them? We will discipline them,”said an angry Dr Muia.

ROLL CALL

The county government has ordered the medical superintendents in all hospitals to take a roll call of working doctors and to submit the lists to county headquarters.

County secretary Robert Ayisi on Monday urged any willing and qualified doctors with no job to report to the superintendents of all Level Four Hospitals for part-time positions from Tuesday.