Meru MCAs have appealed to Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi to pay stipends to community health volunteers.
Health committee chairman Martin Mworia said they want the CHVs to get a monthly stipend of Sh4,000.
“Once the Health Service Bill is brought to the assembly, I will lobby colleagues to pursue and pass the bill. Let the health department bring the bill to assembly,” Mworia said.
He asked the county to resolve the impasse with doctors who have vowed to go on strike demanding more allowances, new promotions and statutory deductions remittances.
David Nderitu, ACK Mt Kenya West MCA, who is sponsoring the Bill, said CHVs are misused by counties and the Sh4, 000 stipend is not enough.
“All the 3,500 CHVs have never received a coin for 14 years service the community. There must be a budget set to cater for preventions. They are currently risking lives attending to Covid-19 positive home-based people,” Nderitu said.
Meru human rights activist Thuranira Salecio said they helped develop the Bill in October, 2019, but it has stagnated at the health executive Misheck Mutuma’s department for more a year.
“It is not even a salary but an allowance of Sh3, 000 and Sh1, 000 airtime per month. Everyone wants to be motivated for them to perform their tasks with morale. It is their right and the county government should not take it as a privilege,” Thuraniara said.
MCAs Faith Gakii and Salome Mutua said some other diseases they attend to include high blood pressure and diabetes.
“Health is wealth. They need support to feel appreciated because of their sacrifice. We have a culture of strikes by health workers and urge the executive to allocate more funds to health department,” Mutua said.
Stephen Mung’athia, health committee vice chair, asked the county to cater for CHVs who risk their lives visiting TB patients, HIV and Aids and other diseases without equipment.