The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Davji Attellah has been injured after being hit by a teargas canister on the head while leading protests at the gates of the Ministry of Health in Nairobi.
KMPDU in a statement via X on Thursday, February 29 condemned the incident by the anti-riot police officers.
Atellah was leading protests over the delayed hiring of medical interns when he was shot and injured. This is after the February deadline agreed between the Ministry of Health and the doctors’ union nears the end.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the shooting of our SG Davji by the police this afternoon when he was leading the medical interns in a peaceful march. The doctors of Kenya have endured enough! This is the straw that breaks the camel's back,” read the statement.
The protests ended after the Anti-Riot officers dispersed the medical interns from the Ministry of Health’s gate.
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Images seen by Nairobileo.co.ke showed Atellah covered with blood on the head and some stains on his clothes.
The KMPDU SG has been admitted to the Nairobi Hospital with a head injury. Former KMPDU SG Ouma Oluga has condemned the attack on his successor saying it is a provocation on the healthcare sector.
"The (alleged) police attack or shoot at @kmpdu Secretary General @Davji is an upfront and uncalled-for provocation of the whole healthcare profession and sector. It is unimagined that peaceful professionals airing grievances by way of protest would be shot at. Better be a joke," said Ouma.
KMPDU on February 15 held a meeting with Health CS Susan Nakhumicha on the posting of the medical interns.
According to the union, 1,215 medical interns are awaiting posting, with some waiting for over six months.
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