Reasons for Prolonged StandOff in Doctors Strike

Almost two months from the start of the doctors strike, we are yet to find any hope of a break in the impasse and end of the strike. Amidst the pain and suffering of the greater proportion of the Kenyan populace unable to afford private healthcare service delivery the government remains adamant to give an offer worth replying to the doctors. The doctors on the other hand have dug in for the long haul with a resolve not to call off the strike until and unless their demands (justified ) are met. The obstinacy of the two parties make it difficult to reach any agreement. As a concerned citizen my hope would have been a swift resolution of the strike and implementation of the agreements.

There are several major points that will make an amicable solution impossible and the standoff long..

Lack of honest arbitrator

From the onset of the strike, one of the key grievance of the doctors was the lack of trust in government negotiation team and this resulted in involvement of the Ministry of Labour as a convener of negotiations. This too failed after it was evident the Labour ministry’s aim was to kill the resolve of the doctor and to ensure the government won in the industrial action. I previously called on appointment of a honest arbitrator to bring both parties to the table and to instill confidence in the process of calling off the strike and implementing demands of the doctors. With the failure of appointment of an independent arbitrator be prepared for the standoff to continue.

Lack of concern for the people by the government leadership  

If you were a foreigner who just heard about the #HealthcrisisKE you would be shocked with the irony of government busy bodies crisscrossing the country in a voter registration drive yet there has been a deafening silence on the doctors strike.Moreover some of the key people in government  seem to be looking out for vested interests  out to stop implementation of better terms of service for doctors and better healthcare delivery for the common citizen. The roles have surely been reversed with  the doctors speaking for the citizens while government functionaries looking out for their interests.

From the  sound-bytes coming from the government functionaries one reads an insincerity and lack of actions to save the Kenyan poor but instead a concerted effort to entrench a dismantling of the public healthcare system .The Treasury CS in a talk show clip gave an impression that the government was looking at a market-determined privatization of healthcare model like the United States which has been shown to be the worst among developed countries and one which will subject more people to catastrophic medical expenditure and ensure collapse of the public healthcare system. So, a government that looks out at the impact of the strike on the private sector instead of the suffering and interest of the poor majority is surely out of touch with its people. Unless there is a radical rethink of this stance, expect more paid-up infomercials for the privatization of healthcare in Kenya.

Lack of Compromise in negotiations

It is said that you cannot shake hands with a clenched fist, but the memo never went out to the KMPDU leadership it seems. With a lack of trust in the establishment, the union leadership has insisted of nothing short of a full implementation of the 2013 CBA. This stance in my opinion is foolhardy and counterproductive. In any subsequent industrial action, there has to be a room for compromise and phased implementation of demands. Maybe as judge Wasilwa pointed out the union are captives of their members and are unable to make tough decisions to bring an end to the strike .So, unless the union leadership shows some compromise for a phased implementation of the CBA we should brace for a long standoff. The union may however be too cautious due to lack of trust in the government to keep its word due to two previous broken promises. Twice beaten, forever shy.

But in the midst of it all, I ironically hope that the resumption of nurses strike in the coming week will expedite a solution to the industrial action and a path towards reform of our healthcare system.But if that fails I hope you do not get sick unless you have an unlimited medical cover to access care in fully booked private medical facilities.