By Eddah Waithaka
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) issued a statement on Wednesday saying doctors in Kiambu County have suspended services until their August and September salaries are paid in full. In doing so, they accused the Kiambu County government of violating the return-to-work formula signed between the union and the national government on May 8, 2024.
Speaking at the Press Briefing, KMPDU said, “Our patience has been tested, but the County Government must now face the reality of its failure to act”.
The doctors urged the county government to hire more personnel to ease the strain on hospitals, citing overwork, fatigue and burnout among medical staff.
“Doctors are enforcing the legal 40-hour work week. The days of overwork are over. Any schedule that demands more is null and void and the union will ensure that this right is upheld. Hiring more doctors is not a burden on the wage bill, it is an investment in Kiambu’s future,” the Union said.
“Three doctors have already committed suicide due to the unbearable pressure in Kiambu. This is not just a crisis for the doctors, it is a crisis for the people of Kiambu.”
Dr. Desree Moraa, a junior doctor at Gatundu Level 5 Hospital in Kiambu, tragically died by suicide last month, underscoring the significant pressures on junior doctors in Kenya.
