There is hope for payment of intern doctors as treasury confirms the availability of kes. 1.75bn in a supplementary budget that will be advanced to the ministry of health, and disbursed to counties as a conditional grant.
According to a commitment letter from the treasury to the Ministry of Health, the money will be available as agreed during a nationwide doctors strike that paralysed services for 3 months.
The kes. 1.75 bn will be available in the 2024/2025 financial year, while the remaining kes. 1.75 bn will be available in the next financial year to settle the kes. 3.5 bn arrears.
According to Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni, there is clear goodwill from the government to implement the emerging issues during the strike, as the government seeks to avert such a scenario.
Consequently, doctors pursuing higher education are set to benefit as the government okays their demand for paying for postgraduate studies which have already been budgeted for.
PS Muthoni also says the presidential task force on human resources is currently finalizing on its policy formulation, to give the country an HR policy for health which has never been in place.
