Two Letters circulating online with details about an agreement between the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Salary and Remuneration Commission (SRC) over medical interns’ pay have caused an uproar among medics.
According to the letters dated March 13 and March 11 respectively, the two entities had agreed on the stipends to be paid to medical interns subject to affordability and fiscal sustainability.
Further, the March 13 letter detailed that the amount stipulated had been agreed upon and would be effected by the ministry immediately.
However, doctors responding to the letter indicated that the stipends were still low, citing the magnitude of the responsibilities given to the medical interns in various healthfacilities.
“Reference is made to your letters Ref. No. SDPH&PS.5/2/18 and Ref. No. SDPH&PS.5/2/19 dated 6th March, 2024 and 11th March, 2024 respectively on the above subject.
“The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) during its 593rd meeting held on 12th March, 2024 approved a stipend for healthcare Internship program for the listed cadres, subject to affordability and fiscal sustainability.
This advice is effective from the date of this letter,” the letter read in part.
Details Amount Govt Will Pay Interns
According to the letter, Clinical Officers (Diploma Holders) Interns were poised to receive between Ksh27,000 to Ksh35,000 while Clinical Officer (BSCCM) Interns will receive between Ksh35,000 to Ksh50,000.
Nursing Officer (Degree) interns, on their part, will receive stipends between Ksh35,000 and Ksh50,000, while Dental Officer Interns will receive between Ksh47,000 and Ksh70,000 while Pharmacist Interns and Medical Officer Interns will receive between Ksh47,000 and Ksh70,000.
The amount of renumeration in the second letter was a revision from the first which proposed a pay of Ksh25,000 for clinical Officer (Diploma Holders) Interns.
The highest paid medical interns according to the letter are Medical Officer Interns, pharmacists, and dental officers who are set to receive up to Ksh70,000.
“The purpose of this letter is to convey the advice of the Commission for your necessary action. The Commission appreciates your continued cooperation and support as we discharge our respective mandates,” added the letter.
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Uproar From Kenyans
Angered by the news, Austin Omondi took to X stating that many hospitals do not hire medical officers because interns do most of the work in the institutions. As such, he noted that interns were the backbone of medical sector in the country.
“The counties and national government don’t hire Medical Officers (MOs) because Medical Officer Interns do all the work. We are the budget between patients and specialists in most public hospitals. This is why interns are the backbone of public hospitals,” he said.
On the other hand, Mogire Jusper indicated that the amount was not low as there were other interns in other professions who earned way less than Ksh70,000.
“While we are all over medical interns earning a maximum of Ksh70,000, take time to think about a whole graduate teacher teaching mathematics, physics, and chemistry, earning Ksh50,000. We don’t respect education and think the country is headed somewhere,” he lamented.
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Mbiti Mwondi however, indicated that there was no reason for career wars stating that the government would come after other professions as well, even when Kenyans were already underpaid.
“It is unfortunate that this doctor intern’s predicament has turn into cadre or career wars. There’s a reason why medical interns have been earning that money since time immemorial which in this case isn’t the big issue.
“The issue is they’ve come for interns, next it will be MOs then consultants, then teachers, policemen and other civil servants,” he said.
