Come back to work county begs healthworkers

The county has implored striking health workers to resume duties as modalities to pay them are in process.

Public Service and Administration Executive Pamela Kimwele feared locals seeking treatment were being subjected to unwarranted suffering and asked the workers to drop their hardstand.

She said the workers are charged with a critical docket and sacrifice for the good of humanity above everything else was vital as the corona pandemic slowly creeps into rural counties.

“Let them be patient like other county staff who are yet to receive salaries but are dispensing duties as expected," she said.

"The salary matter is with the Department of Finance and before the weekends, everyone will have been paid."

She noted by Tuesday the county disbursement had been approved by the Controller of Budget and by Wednesday they were expecting the money to reflect in the county account.

Ms Kimwele said the county has not been paid its allocation for two months now, which has greatly hampered its payments, especially for salaries.

“The delays have been pegged on the pending bills in the county on which the president issued directives that were further reinforced by Treasury and office of Controller of Budget that no county would be given its exchequer allocation if they were not up-to-date in payment of bills,” she said.

She noted the county had committed to pay the bills and soon its employees will be able to earn normally like in the past.

The health staff said they could not stage parades at the county headquarters due to the coronavirus scare, but opted to stay at home.  

Patients who visited the facilities were turned away forcing them to seek treatment in the neighbouring Kakamega and Kisumu counties.