The National Assembly on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 debated the plight of medical interns.

Vice Chairperson, Public Petitions Committee, Hon. Janet Sitienei (Turbo) gave a Statement on progress of a Petition by Hon. (Dr.) Robert Pukose (Endebess) on behalf of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPPDU) on the delay in the posting of medical interns, the absorption of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) contract staff and on the failure by the Government to recognize signed Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA's) that was before the Committee. 

In her statement, Hon Sitienei told the House that the Public Petitions Committee had met the Petitioner, Dr. Pukose and Cabinet secretary for Labour, Hon. Florence Bore. She added the Cabinet secretary for Health and other stakeholders in the Health Sector are expected to appear before the Committee soon.

On his part, Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Health, Hon. (Dr.) Pukose said he met Ministry of Health officials who assured him that interns had been posted.

"Today, I met with the Ministry of Health officials and I can confirm that they assured me they have posted intern doctors, the money for registrars has been allocated to universities and challenges of Collective Bargaining Agreements will be dealt with through the counties," he said.

Leader of the Minority Party, Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja), rose on a point of order urging the House to treat the matter of doctors strike with the urgency that it deserves.

“This issue of doctors is likely not to go away. I think this House more than any other institution has got a cardinal duty to rise to the occasion. Where everything else fails, the National Assembly must come in,” said Hon. Wandayi

Leader of the Majority Party, Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu) pleaded with the striking medics to return to the negotiation table. Adding that dialogue works, but it cannot be achieved in the streets.

“Dialogue can only be effective on the negotiation tables in the boardrooms of the Ministry of Health,” he said.

Hon. Ichung'wah added that while the matter is of great concern to the entire country, the demands by the striking practitioners brought about considerable challenges. He noted that the large number of interns who have not been absorbed was a result of positive efforts put into the education sector that meant that the number of graduates churned out by the medical academic institutions, outnumbered the number of available slots in health facilities across the country.

 “Health Care is a matter that is dear to all of us. Therefore I call on the striking doctors, medical Interns, clinical officers and laboratory technicians to give dialogue a chance,” Hon. Ichung'wah said.