Money Matters Issue #39

Doctors, Dentists and Pharmacists in Kenya Government employment are still on strike. The Collective Bargaining Agreement of 2017 signed by the KMPDU and Government has not been actualized. Currently it seems Government is trying to trivialize Doctor's pay and workplace demands. Their tactic is to address one issue at a time starting with the posting of interns at markedly reduced pay and then to reduce Government's financial commitment to every one of the other deliverables in the CBA. The Doctors have dug their heels in and the other side is ebullient. When two bulls are fighting the grass always suffers. The poorest percentiles of the population in Kenya suffer the most during strikes. They are attended to by overworked primary health care workers. The standards of health service delivery in the public sector without Doctors is bound to tank.

I sense a feeling of despondency in the majority of dentists below the age of 40 years. Their career plans have plateaued. Automatic recruitment of interns into Government hospitals has stalled. Post graduate instruction and supervision has stopped a the University of Nairobi Medical School, thanks to the Doctors strike.

What can a dentist do in uncertain times like these? The world has not stopped. It is necessary to learn, relearn and unlearn business, soft, practice management and clinical skills to help you navigate this season.

eTIMS KRA and you, post Apr 1 2024

Meanwhile the eTimS onboarding deadline for SMEs including Doctors has expired. The Medical fraternity objected to being onboarded due to confidentiality issues where patient identities would have to be disclosed, this going against the Constitution of Kenya. However at least one major Nairobi Hospital has sent a memo to Doctors that private patients or their Insurance companies should be billed directly by Doctors and claims for hospital patients will only be paid on provision of an eTimS compliant receipt. So, get ready to be impacted. Read more and if you wish to be onboarded and integrated onto eTimS quickly get in touch with me .

Events

I run 5 week courses on wholistic personal development for dentists every month. For more information on the April intake which starts April 9th contact me here

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