Health services at public hospitals in Kisumu County remain paralysed after health workers defied Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o orders to return to work.
On Thursday, Governor Nyong’o had threatened to remove about 1,007 health workers from the pay roll should they fail to return to work by today. The battle between the health workers, union leadership and the county government has left the sector on its knees.
NINE WORKERS
At Kisumu County Referral Hospital, only nine health workers on contract reported to work.
Service delivery at Jaramogi Odinga Oginga Teaching and Referral Hospital was slow with only a few health workers on duty.
However, the rest of the doctors, nurses, clinicians and laboratory staff vowed not to return to work until the county government addresses their concerns.
Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union Nyanza Branch Chairman Kevin Osuri said if anyone needs to be fired and removed from the payroll it should Governor Nyong’o for contempt of court and reneging on binding agreements.
“Doctors will not be dragged into theatrics with the governor, we will not be moved by anything other than respect of labour agreements,” said Dr Osuri.
He added: “We will not return to work with anything less than full compliance on the part of the county government of Kisumu.”
Kenya Union of Clinical Officers Secretary Craus Okumu termed the governor’s threat is an act of cowardice.
DEFY COURT RULINGS
“Governor Nyong’o has no powers to fire us. He is on record for defying the court rulings. We will not return to work until our members are promoted and salaries are paid promptly,” said Mr Okumu.
Prof Nyong’o termed the health workers strike as frivolous, unjustified and meant to defeat the ends of justice.
“I therefore declare that the strike is baseless and in bad faith, contrary to the ethics and call of duty of health workers,” he said.
According to Governor Nyong’o, the county government and the health workers union leaders had reached a common understanding in addressing issue touching on promotions, salary delays and increment of Covid-19 risk allowance.
Through an arbitration process, both county government and the health workers unions agreed that 1,007 health staff had been promoted.
“In particular, re-designation had been done, salary delays explained and mitigation measures against feature salary delays agreed upon to the satisfaction of all parties. Covid-19 allowances agreed to be paid at the end of June once national government remits funds to the counties,” said Governor Nyong’o.
“Despite all these efforts and clear map agreed upon, the union leadership proceeded to call members to strike, remaining insensitive to the needs of the people for healthcare at this time of the Covid-19 pandemic,” the governor added.