HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 319436,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/319436/?format=api",
"text_counter": 224,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kazungu",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Medical Services",
"speaker": {
"id": 39,
"legal_name": "Samuel Kazungu Kambi",
"slug": "samuel-kambi"
},
"content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Ministry of Medical Services wishes to make it clear that the intended Doctors’ Strike which the Kenya Medical Practioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union intends to call tomorrow, Thursday, 13th September, 2012, is ill advised and cannot be justified. Should it take place, it will be in violation of a return-to-work formula signed between the Minister and the Union under which the Ministry was to fulfill a number of recommendations which it has faithfully done. From the outset, I wish to say that the union’s current demand that the Government needs to pay some allowance to self-sponsored Masters Programme students at Kenyatta National Hospital and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital cannot be met. It is important to know that on admission, all self-sponsored post-graduate students make a commitment to pay school fees, find suitable accommodation and meet all financial commitments to the university and for themselves and abide to all universities regulations. This was not one of the issues agreed upon in the return to work formula. What is more, the Government is under no obligation to pay self-sponsored students as they are not on the payroll. All the Government-sponsored students at the two hospitals have been getting their allowances due to them regularly. In the return-to-work formula which both parties signed in December, 2011, a number of recommendations were made which the Ministry undertook to honour. I am glad to inform you that we have fulfilled all the recommendations which include: doctors, dentists and pharmacists have been getting their call allowance amounting to Kshs30,000 with effect from 1st December, 2011. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, secondly, they have also been paid extraneous allowance ranging from Kshs30,000 to Kshs40,000 depending on their rank and duty station. The first instalment was paid in December, 2011, and the second one was paid in July, 2012. Each doctor has received extra allowance amounting to between Kshs30,000 to Kshs70,000 with effect from 1st December, 2011. The Government released a total of Kshs113 million to cater for their promotions. All eligible officers have since been promoted as per Government regulations. The Government made available a total of Kshs181 million for training and settling of training debts. University fees for first, second and third year students should be paid in the academic year 2012/2013. The Ministry has so far employed 57 doctors and after advertising posts for 200 doctors, the rest will be recruited soon. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, lastly the Government is in the process of purchasing modern equipment and rehabilitating old facilities in a bid to improve the work environment in hospitals. In light of the foregoing, it is obvious the union is not acting in good faith in calling for the strike. The Ministry is appealing to all the doctors, dentists and pharmacists as well as all the other health workers not to be misled into taking part in an illegal strike. All the health workers need to put the interest of patients first and not to participate in an industrial action that could lead to loss of lives. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir."
}