Reinstate Pay for Medical Interns, Odinga Urges Government

In a press briefing on April 11, 2024, opposition leader Raila Odinga broke his silence on the ongoing doctors' strike and urged the government to reinstate the Ksh206,000 pay for medical interns until the following Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations take place. 

Odinga expressed confidence that if the government met the demand halfway, doctors and other health workers on strike would be willing to craft a return-to-work formula and resume their duties. At the same time, negotiations continued.

 “I ask the government to reinstate the Ksh206,000 pay for interns until the next CBA negotiations which is around the corner. I am convinced that the doctors and all other health workers currently on strike will be able to craft a return to work formula and resume duty if the government were to meet the demand halfway while negotiations continue,” he said.

Odinga outlined the broad areas the government should address to progress towards ending the strike. The first area highlighted was the pay for medical interns, emphasizing that interns had been earning Ksh206,000 per month for the past seven years. 

Odinga stressed that reducing the salaries of employees midstream created significant disruptions in their lives. He called upon the government to reinstate the previous pay rate for interns until the next round of CBA negotiations, where both parties could present their cases for consideration.

“There is no way an employer can reduce the salaries of the employees’ midstream. That distorts everything in the life of the employee. And therefore, ask the government to reinstate the 206,000 shillings pay for interns until the next CBA negotiations, which is around the corner kicks in,” he added.

According to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the recommended pay scale for interns ranges from Ksh47,000 to Ksh70,000. Nursing officer interns and clinical officer interns (degree) are expected to receive between Ksh35,000 and Ksh50,000, while clinical officer interns (diploma) should be paid between Ksh27,000 and Ksh35,000.

The Ministry of Health proposed a stipend of Ksh70,000 for medical interns to resolve the strike. However, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) rejected this offer, insisting on implementing the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and paying interns according to the agreed-upon terms.

The nationwide doctors' strike, which commenced on March 14, 2024, was initiated by doctors nationwide. Their demands include recruiting additional medical personnel and improved remuneration for medical interns who play a vital role in the healthcare system.