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Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has picked holes in the demands of the striking doctors.
He suggested they are unsustainable and unrealistic.
The medics want, among other things, posting and better remuneration for the intern doctors.
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For instance, the practitioners via their Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU) want the interns to earn above KSh 200,000 as their monthly salary.
Reacting to the demand, Mwaura faulted the doctors for exaggerating their profession over others.
He juxtaposed the medics with the Public Service Commission (PSC) interns who he argued are paid KSh 25,000 as a monthly stipend, further noting that a lawyer takes home KSh 15,000 in the course of their pupillage.
"All of the issues that have been addressed we have taken action as government; from where we stand we have fulfilled many of those requirements, but one of the things we cannot back down on is the issue of paying interns KSh 206,000. It is unsustainable and no profession is more important than the other,” he said in a presser.
“If you are an intern at the Public Service Commission, you are only paid KSh 25,000. Lawyers who also take five to six years to be in class, are paid only KSh 15,000 during pupillage," he added.
Video; courtesy
The former nominated senator informed the doctors that they were schooled using public funds and thus it was unfair of them to sabotage the public health sector.
According to him, the KSh 70,000 stipend the state offered to the interns was still much better than that of the other professions.
Mwaura argued that lawyers and doctors take long courses after attaining almost similar grades at the A levels, but the former settle for a lower stipend during their pupillage.
Meanwhile, President William Ruto was categorical to the medics that the government was insolvent and had no money to settle their demand.
The head of state expressed concern over the inflated wage bill in the country, noting that it was taking a huge chunk of revenue.
While the doctors' union insisted on better remuneration for its members, the president said his object was to lower the wage bill to below 35% of the country's revenue.
He said the country needed money to fund development and other sectors, suggesting the doctors' call for improved remuneration would not be met given the state's many commitments.
With the foregoing, Ruto underscored his administration's resolve to pay intern doctors a KSh 70,000 monthly stipend as they await employment.
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