Kenyan doctors will report to work starting Friday, after they agreed with the government on how they can be paid their salary arrears.
The government and the doctors' union signed a return-to-work agreement Wednesday, a deal that will bring relief to the sick who have been unable to get treatment in public hospitals.
Kenyan health minister Susan Nakhumicha said the doctors should now focus on attending to the sick.
"I want to urge all of us for now to focus on service delivery," she said. "The country has waited anxiously for 54 days to see you back to work and they have a right to demand and expect to be served without further delay."
The agreement comes after weeks of negotiations and court battles. The government and doctors' union have agreed to find the best way to pay doctors better and improve their working conditions.
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union Secretary General Davji Atellah, who signed the agreement on behalf of more than 7,000 members, said one of their demands was not met but they will fight for the interns.
"We agreed on a 60-day period that they will not be posted but we will be having conversations on this issue it then means that as this matter is ongoing we will also be having conversation but one thing we must assure everybody, every doctor, every person that the rights of workers as enshrined in the collective bargaining agreement that is signed is that it is sacrosanct, we will always endeavor to protect," he said.
Some of the doctor's grievances arose from the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, which speaks to salary increments, medical insurance for the doctors and their dependents, and risk and emergency allowance.
The government and county governors have refused to fully implement the 2017 agreement due to financial pressure and fear that other sectors will demand similar treatment of their workers.
"We thank the doctors for the decision they have made to come back to the health facilities to help our patients because it was a challenge when they were not in the facility," said Aisha Hassan is a community health promoter in Nairobi. "Many patients died, and others defaulted on their medication, like the HIV and TB patients. We have a lot of work to do because now we have to go back and do follow up with the patient. Even to the patient, it will be of good help to them."
Kenyans hope this agreement will resolve the doctors' and government's disagreements for good, however, the issue of hiring intern doctors is still under discussion.
