Health service workers in Kisumu down tools

Health services in Kisumu are set for paralysis after workers made good their threat and began their strike yesterday.

The health workers vowed not to relent until their grievances are fully met.

They had issued the strike notice on June 2 effective yesterday midnight demanding promotions, redeployment, end of chronic late payment of salaries and Covid-19 allowances.

A spot by People Daily yesterday indicated that patients admitted at the various public facilities were already bearing the brunt of the strike.

For instance, at the county referral hospital, some had been served with discharge notes and were leaving the facility as others waited for their relatives.

In a press briefing yesterday, the union officials, led by Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) Kisumu branch secretary Maurice Opetu, said the strike was on course until the county government implements their demands in totality.

According to Opetu, Sh250 million was allocated in the current budget to cater for promotion of health workers and an additional Sh38 million in supplementary budget on the same but the money was yet to be paid out.

Account for cash

Kenya Union of Clinical Officers Kisumu county branch chairman Vincent Owaa asked the county government to account for the money that had been factored in for the promotion of health workers in the previous budget.

Owaa called on the Ethics and Anti-corruption commission to investigate how money that had been set aside for promotion of the health workers was spent. Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUMLO) Kisumu county branch Chairman Hillary Awili accused the county government of playing games with the health workers instead of addressing their grievances.

On Monday, Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o pleaded with the health workers to shelve the strike and give room for gradual implementation of their demands.

Nyong’o termed the strike regrettable at a time the country is battling to contain coronavirus spread.