Doctors employed by Kenya’s Nairobi County government resumed work on Thursday following a six-day strike over delayed salaries and a lack of protective equipment when handling patients who may have COVID-19, a union official said.
Thuranira Kaugiria, Nairobi County secretary general of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union, said in a WhatsApp message the doctors had returned to work after signing an agreement with county officials on Wednesday.
In the agreement, the government promised to pay doctors on the fifth day of every month, failing to which the doctors were free to stop work without notice.
The agreement, seen by Reuters, also provides doctors with two isolation facilities in the event that they contract COVID-19.
The county government also committed to providing the doctors with adequate supplies of high quality personal protective equipment, the agreement said.
The 320 striking doctors walked out last week, citing poor quality protective gear, too few isolation wards, and inadequate health insurance.
The strike only affected hospitals run by the county government, and not those run by the national government or those that are privately run.
Kenya has 33,016 confirmed coronavirus cases, 564 deaths and 19,296 recoveries out of 429,513 tests conducted, according to the Ministry of Health.
The majority of confirmed cases have been in the capital, although the government says the numbers have started rising faster in rural areas.
Latest Stories
-
Idris Elba meets with management and staff of UniMAC’s Institute of Film and Television
2 minutes -
It was a very physical game – Ogum on Berekum Chelsea clash
29 minutes -
We have failed to implement adequate measures to effectively tackle galamsey— Daryl Bosu
33 minutes -
IMF commences 4th review of Ghana’s bailout programme
1 hour -
Ghana remains important to us ‘no matter what’ – U.S ambassador
1 hour -
Accra floods: Mahama alarmed as GARID projects delay
1 hour -
Teddy Osei of Osibisa fame to be honored with state funeral on April 4
1 hour -
We will begin geotagging and geofencing of excavators from ports – Armah Buah
2 hours -
Kuami Eugene to donate revenue from his rendition of ‘Awoo Mawugné’ to Omar B’s family
2 hours -
IMCC convenes decentralisation sector working group meeting
2 hours -
TGMA Errors and Omissions: Kuami Eugene added as songwriter of Okyeame Kwame’s ‘No Competition’
2 hours -
Regard illegal miners as ‘dangerous terrorists’ – Kofi Buah
2 hours -
GPL 2024/25: ‘Title race not over’ – Heart of Lions boss Bashir Hayford
2 hours -
Youth unemployment fuels illegal mining – Small-Scale Miners Association
2 hours -
44% of Ghanaians say galamsey fight has seen no change under Mahama
2 hours