PRESSSTATEMENTFROMTHEREPRESENTATIVESTAFFUNIONSOFMTRH

August1,2012 WetheofficialsofKMPDU(KenyaMedicalPractitioners,PharmacistsandDentistsUnion), KNUN(KenyaNationalUnionofNurses)andKUDHEIHA(KenyaUnionofDomestic,Hotels, EducationalInstitutions,HospitalsandAlliedworkers),onbehalfofallthestaffoftheMoi TeachingandReferralHospital(MTRH),wishtostatethus: I. UnderfundingofMTRH TheMoiTeachingandReferralHospitalisgrosslyunderfundedcontrarywithitsstatus asanationalreferralhospital.Itisunabletomeetitscorefunctionsinservicedelivery totheupto20millionKenyansitismeanttoserve.Inthecurrentfinancialyearthe hospitalisfacedwithabudgetdeficitinexcessofKSh.4Billion(itgot20%ofits projectedbudget).Thishasbeenarecurrentproblemsinceitsinception. Itisobviouslynotabletomeetitsinfrastructuralandhumanresourcedevelopment needs. Thehospitallacksaproperfunctioningaccidentandemergency(A&E)departmentand IntensiveCareUnit(ICU). EvennowasKenyansfaceathreatfromtheEbolavirusfromUgandawiththepotential ofcrossbordertransmission,wefeelthehospitalisillequippedtohandlenational disastersifcalledupon.Nowondermanyoftheheadlinenationaldisasterse.g.terrorist attacksareoftenreferredtoNairobi. Thehospitalhasmademanycommitmentstoitsstaffintermsofremuneration,training andstaffdevelopmentwhichithasbeenunabletomeetforinstancethemajorityofits staffmembersareyettobepromotedyearsafterthehospitalwasgazettedintotal contrasttotheircounterpartsintheothergovernmenthospitals. WefeelthattheGovernmentofKenyahaspaidverylittleattentiontothishospital. II. Harmonizationofpaywiththerestofthecivilservice Whereasourcounterpartsintheothergovernmenthospitalsareenjoyingaboostin theirbasicsalariesasannouncedearlierbytheMinisterofStateforPublicService,weat MTRHareyettobenefitfromthesame.Severalallowancese.g.houseallowanceand commuterallowancesarepaidat40%ofwhatourcolleaguesreceive.

III.

A.KMPDUReturntoWorkFormula(RTWF) SubsequenttothedoctorsstrikeofDecember2011,theGovernmentofKenyasigneda RTWFwiththedoctorsunion(KMPDU)committingtoasetofpledges: i. Promotionofdoctors Thegovernmentcommittedtopromotedoctorswhohavebeenpending promotionforyearsincontraventiontotheschemeofservice.Whilemoneywas availedtoothergovernmenthospitals,nonehasbeenforthcomingtoour hospital.Todatenoneofthesedoctorshavebeenpromoted. Employmentofnewdoctors Thehospitalisindireneedformoredoctorsinkeepingwithitsstatusasa nationalreferralhospital.AspertheRTWF,thehospitalwastohire35new doctors.Moneyhasnotbeenavailedforthispurposeanditgoeswithoutsaying thatnonewdoctorshavebeenhiredyet. Remunerationofdoctorsintraining(registrars) Doctorswhoareundergoingfurtherspecialisttrainingatmasterslevel,socalled registrars,slaveawayinourhospitalwithnopay.Thegovernmenthasbeenslow inimplementingrecommendationsproposedintheRTWFandbyasubsequent TaskForcethatthesedoctorsbepaidinappreciationoftheservicestheyofferto Kenyansseekinghealthcareinthenationalreferralhospitals. Paymentofschoolfeesforregistrars Thegovernmenthadalsocommittedtopayschoolfeesforitsstaff,the registrars,thatareonfurthertraining.Thisalsohasnotbeenforthcoming.

ii.

iii.

iv.

B.Interns Internsworkinginthehospitalareyettoreceivetheirremuneration4monthsafter commencementoftheirinternshipduties.Thishasmadeitdifficultforthemtocope consideringthatinternshipisaverydemandingperiodinthelifeofadoctor. C.TheKUDHEHIACBAandtheKNUNrecognitionagreement/CBA LastDecember,aCBAwassignedbetweenKUDHEIHAandthehospital.Sofaritremains unimplementeddespiteseveralattemptsbytheunion(KUDHEIHA)tohaveaway forward.Thishasbeendemoralizingtostaff,hasledtoattritionandledtoahigh turnoveraffectingsignificantlytheprovisionofservicesatthehospital. TheKNUNsrecognitionagreementisfacingasimilarfate.

D.Locumworkers Severalemployeesofthehospitalareemployedonatemporarybasis,socalledon locum.Theseemployeesremainunconfirmedseveralyearsafteremploymentcausing untoldsufferingtothemandtheirfamilies. IV. HealthServicesCommission(HSC) Wefeelthatpursuanttothecountrysvision2030,thegovernmentneedstotakesteps tohastentheformationoftheHSCtoeffectivelyrunthehealthagendaofthecountryin linewiththespiritofthenewconstitution.Todatenosingleattempthasbeenmadeby thegovernmentoritsorgansatachievingthis.

Inviewoftheforegoing,weareissuingasevendaystrikenoticeeffectiveAugust2,2012.We hopethattheGovernmentofKenya,theHospitalManagementandanyotherstakeholderwill takeadequatestepstoaddresstheissuesraisedabovefailuretowhichalltheworkersofthis hospitalwilldowntheirtoolsbeginningAugust13,2012. Signed: OnbehalfofKMPDU: Dr.MogeniMogaka SecretaryGeneral, KMPDUEldoret OnbehalfofKNUN: Mr.CheserekSammy SecretaryGeneral, KNUNMTRH OnbehalfofKUDHEIHA: Mr.PaulAthing ChiefShopSteward KUDHEIHAMTRH