Medical Interns Occupy Afya House, Demand Immediate Posting

At least 500 medical, dental, and pharmacy interns have protested against the MoH’s decisions and will not budge until their demands are granted.

The interns have addressed their complaints on Monday while converging at the MoH headquarters, saying that they have been awaiting their official postings for several years after graduating from college.

Blasio Bukens, a medical intern, reading a joint statement said that the delay in their posting was affecting their professional growth and causing many of them psychological problems including depression.

“The psychological suffering we endure is immense, many of us are battling depression and suicidal ideation due to this injustice,” Bukens said.

The interns said that they had undergone through more than six years of training to be able to gain necessary skills and information.

They demanded to be employed within 30 days after the completion of their studies according to the CBA between the ministry of health and Kenya medical practitioners pharmacists and dentist’s union.

“We have come to occupy MoH to declare we are tired. We are tired of being taken for granted. Our future cannot be held hostage,” they remarked.

The interns were emphatic and uncompromising in their demands to the Ministry of Health, saying that posting should be done for all interns and not in phases.

They said that they would camp at the Ministry of Health headquarters until their cases are heard.

They appealed for Kenya’s support for their strike saying that Kenyans had stood with them during the Finance Bill Protests which, are part of the country’s most crucial contributor to the provision of health care services.

“Fellow Kenyans, medical interns do real work. Our labour generates income for the system, and that is why we are saying no to impunity! Punda amechoka! We stood with you during the Finance Bill Protests, and now it is your time to stand with us,” they attested.