Kenya Medical Association Revokes Health CS and PS’s Membership

The Kenya Medical Association has revoked the membership of Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu and PS Nicholas Muraguri for one year.

“In view of their role in the ongoing crisis and their crimes of omission and commission, KMA hereby revokes the membership of the two for one year,” the association said in a statement.

KMA further urged all other health worker’s associations in private clinics, hospitals and practices to join the ongoing health strike for 48 hours to protest a court’s decision to jail union officials.

“The strike will start at midnight. Further instructions shall be issued should the doctors still be in jail at the expiry of this period,” said Jacqueline Kitulu, the national chairwoman of the Kenya Medical Association.

The Employment and Labour Relations Court on Monday jailed the officials from the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) for contempt of court.

The association also called for the sacking of the Health CS and his PS ‘Who we consider to be collectively responsible for this crisis,” they said.

The doctors have paralyzed health services demanding the full implementation of the 2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Read: Pain, Tears and Death In Public Hospitals As Doctors’ Strike Bites On

The government offered a 40 per cent salary hike after President Uhuru Kenyatta met Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) officials at State House Mombasa.

This was rejected. An offer that would have seen the pay of the least-paid doctor rise from Sh140,244 to Sh196,989.

In Kenya, access to quality health care is a constitutional right, however, millions cannot afford to pay for health services at public or private clinics.

The Constitution incorporated economic, social and cultural rights in the Bill of the Rights Article 43. The article provides that every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, including reproductive health care; to accessible housing, and to reasonable standards of sanitation; to be free from hunger and to have adequate food of acceptable quality; to clean and safe water in adequate quantities; to social security and to education.

A person shall not be denied emergency medical treatment.

The State shall provide appropriate social security to persons who are unable to support themselves and their dependents.