The Ministry of Health has formally requested a budget allocation of Sh4.9 billion from the National Treasury to accommodate medical interns within its system.
Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Susan Nakhumicha emphasized the urgent need for resources to support medical interns, stating that the Ministry currently lacks the necessary funding to absorb them.
She stressed that appropriate action would be taken once the requested funds become available.
Regarding the demand by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) for interns to be compensated at Sh206,000 per month, Nakhumicha noted the Ministry’s financial constraints, stating, “As a Ministry, we don’t have the resources to post them and the law does not allow us to post when we don’t have a budget for it.”
She acknowledged the 2017 Common Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed by KMPDU, which stipulated the salary and allowances for interns but emphasized the necessity of budgetary provisions to fulfill such obligations.
Nakhumicha urged the union, which has issued a strike notice, to exercise patience as the Ministry seeks solutions to the ongoing issue.
She emphasized the broader need for discussions on health financing, highlighting its critical role in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The CS emphasized the importance of sustainable compensation for interns, acknowledging their significant role on the frontline of healthcare.
She revealed that the Ministry is developing a policy to guide the deployment of interns upon completion of their training, aiming for timely absorption into the workforce.
Addressing concerns in Kisumu, Nakhumicha urged doctors to refrain from industrial action and instead engage in negotiations to resolve the deadlock.
National Assembly Health Committee Chairman Dr. Robert Pukose echoed the need for a comprehensive approach to address the interns’ predicament.
He emphasized the importance of regulating medical training to align with market demands, cautioning against an oversupply of trained doctors flooding the job market.
Pukose underscored the necessity of ensuring that the number of doctors produced matches the needs of the healthcare sector to prevent unemployment among medical graduates.
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