100-day doctors' strike ends in Kenya

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - The suffering of patients in Kenya came to an end on Tuesday after the East African country’s doctors signed a return to work deal with the Kenyan government ending a 3-month impasse.

The agreement was signed by Kenya’s Health Minister Cleopa Mailu and officials from the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union, KMPDU at Delta House in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Speaking after a 10-hour meeting with the doctors’ union, Chairman of the Council of Governors, Peter Munya announced that the strike which started on Dec. 5, 2016 had come to an end.

“We want to start by announcing that what you have witnessed is the signing of an agreement between the government of Kenya and the union of doctors that brings to an end the strike that has been there for 100 days.

"This brings to an end one of the most painful strikes in Kenya."

KMPDU Secretary General Ouma Oluga said that after a painful struggle the strike had come to an end, adding he hoped that "Kenya will never witness such a painful strike again."

The deal came just days after the Kenyan government withdrew a 50 percent pay raise offer among other benefits meant to woo doctors back to work, adding that there would be no more negotiations until doctors resumed work.