Medical workers down tools after counties delay salaries, promotions

A health crisis is looming in Nakuru, Nandi and Nyeri counties after health workers went on strike to protest delayed salaries and promotions.

Medics in Uasin Gishu and Meru counties have also said they will boycott work at the end of the month if their grievances are not addressed.

Though health workers in Nakuru called off their strike last week after signing a deal with the county government, there has been no respite for patients after the doctors downed their tools. The strike has seen many patients in public hospitals suffer.

Doctors at public facilities in the region said they will continue with the strike as talks with the county government on delayed promotions and payment of promotion arrears and allowances have failed to bear fruit.

South Rift Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Chairman Oruko Sitima said operations are grounded at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital and facilities in Naivasha, Molo, Elburgon, Gilgil, Bahati, Kabaazi, Langalanga, Olenguruoni, Rongai and Mogotio.

Dr Sitima said the county had not reconstituted a negotiation committee with the doctors as they had promised.

“Public facilities remain grounded. The county promised to engage doctors but there is no sign of any negotiations from their side,” he said.

In Nandi County, about 882 health workers in 280 medical facilities are also on strike. They are protesting against unpaid July dues and payments of statutory deductions to banks and sacco loans, National Social Security Fund, National Hospital Insurance Fund, among other deductions.

The strike comes at a time when the office of the county executive and the Nandi County Assembly are locked in a tussle over approval of the county’s budget for the 2015/2016 financial year after the office of the Controller of Budget rejected their initial budget.

“We are unable to pay our employees and suppliers because the county assembly is yet to table a motion that would see to the approval of the reviewed budget draft. Our initial budget was rejected,” said Finance Executive Charles Muge.

And in Nyeri County, hundreds of health workers yesterday stayed away from their work stations, protesting poor working conditions. The workers are also demanding a pay rise. Hundreds of patients were caught unawares and many were forced to seek treatment in private hospitals.

The workers drawn from the Nyeri County Referral Hospital, Othaya Level 4 Hospital and Karatina Level 5 Hospital maintained they would stay away from work until their demands are met.

 INEFFECTIVE SERVICES

The dire situation in Nakuru was confirmed by the Kenya National Nurses Union (KNNU) Nakuru branch Secretary Syprian Odera. “All nurses, clinical officers among other health care workers are back to work but services are not effective without doctors. We need each other at all cost,” said Ms Odera.

At the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital, she said full operational areas include outpatient and wards but with assistance of clinical officers and consultant doctors. However, she said most pharmacists that supply drugs are still closed as there are limited number of doctors. The 150 employees have questioned why they were yet to be promoted yet the Public Service Commission guidelines state promotions should be as soon as someone qualifies.

Nakuru Deputy Governor Joseph Ruto said the Government opted to involve Labour office for reconciliation after talks failed to yield fruit. Ruto said doctors brought on board were demanding backdating of promotions to 2010, which could not be met.

KNNU agreed that 1,700 promotions for respective cadres shall be implemented in September, October, November, December 2015 and January 2016 payroll, of which effective date for all will be July 1, 2015.

In Nandi, secretary generals of KMPDU and KNUN told The Standard that health workers would not resume duty until the county government pays their salaries.

Nandi Governor Cleophas Lagat called on the county assembly to cut short an untimely two week recess to debate the budget.

“Operations have been heavily paralysed by lack of funds. The county has about Sh500 million from the 2014/2015 financial year that it cannot access because the assembly has declined to approve the new changes to the budget as recommended by Controller of Budget,” he said, adding: “The county is facing a serious threat of a major strike, yet the county assembly chose this untimely time to go on recess.”