Amidst a heated dispute over monthly stipends for medical, dental, and pharmacy interns, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha has called on all posted interns to report to their designated health centers.
This directive comes as stakeholders continue to grapple with financial constraints outlined in the 2024/25 budget, which has caused delays in full implementation of interns’ pay.
In a statement addressing the ongoing crisis, CS Nakhumicha acknowledged the budget shortfall of Ksh.1.1 billion needed to fully fund the stipends of 3,760 interns at Ksh.70,000 per month, as recommended by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
Alternatively, the Ministry is considering using available funds to pay at least 552 interns at the higher 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) rate of Ksh.206,400 per month.
Complicating matters further, the Ministry faces a pending court ruling on the SRC’s advisory for the Ksh.70,000 stipend, scheduled for September 26, 2024.
Despite these challenges, Nakhumicha urged interns to commence their duties as previously communicated, emphasizing the Ministry’s commitment to resolving the pay dispute swiftly.
Addressing the #OccupyMOH protests, which have seen interns demonstrate at the Ministry of Health headquarters, CS Nakhumicha condemned attempts to portray the Ministry negatively.
“It is regrettable that a few individuals seek to exploit peaceful demonstrations to depict inaction and incompetence within the Ministry,” she lamented.
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