Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has dealt a blow to the
ongoing doctors' strike negotiations after terming the industrial action as
blackmail that will not be entertained by the government.
The nationwide strike, on its 94th day, has paralysed the
public health sector and compelled patients to seek vital medical services from
costly private hospitals.
A visibly irritated President Kenyatta accused the doctors
of operating private practices, saying they only serve at public hospitals for
about two hours per day.
"It is unfair that the doctors still operate private
practice yet expect us to pay them more. This is blackmail and we are not going
to entertain it," Mr Kenyatta said on Tuesday afternoon during the 4th
Devolution Conference in Nakuru County.
He reiterated the government's commitment to a fair
resolution of the impasse but also impressed upon the striking doctors to
remember their call to duty.
No comments:
Post a Comment