Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Davji Atellah has confirmed that over 1,800 medical interns will receive a monthly salary of Ksh206,000 in line with the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
In a statement released on July 2, days after the posting of interns to various clinical areas, Atellah assured the newly deployed interns of full implementation amidst the CBA.
The interns, who are beginning their one-year mandatory internship, will be compensated under the agreed terms.
“All intern doctors (medical officers, dentists, and pharmacists), over 1800 of them, will be compensated according to the CBA, with an average earning of 206K. Other interns will be remunerated based on their respective schemes of services. Other categories of interns in the healthcare sector will be paid according to their respective schemes of service,” Attellah wrote.
Atellah emphasised that the union’s main goal has been to protect the dignity of intern doctors by ensuring adherence to the CBA. He noted that this move marks progress in building a motivated and stable healthcare workforce, especially after prolonged delays and past disputes.
He also credited Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale for playing a key role in resolving the long-standing standoff, saying the current leadership has finally delivered a lasting solution following years of failed negotiations under previous administrations.
KMPDU has been advocating for a Ksh206,000 monthly salary for intern doctors, as stipulated in the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Agreement
In 2024 and 2025, tensions arose when the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) proposed reducing intern salaries to Ksh70,000, prompting KMPDU to threaten strikes. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale played a key role in resolving these disputes.
On December 19, 2024, an agreement brokered by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki ensured that intern doctors would receive the Ksh206,000 salary, averting a planned strike set for December 22. The deal, signed by the Ministry of Health, the Council of Governors, and KMPDU, also addressed salary arrears, with Ksh1.75 billion disbursed immediately and the remaining balance set to be paid by July 2025.
Atellah confirmed that the updated payslips reflected the agreed amount.
