Health workers demand proper framework for devolution of health services

PHOTO | FILE Kenya National Union of Nurses demonstrate in Eldoret town.   NATION

In Summary

• The workers want the government to fast-track the enactment of the Health Act and formulate a Health Policy before the devolution of the sector is implemented.

By STEPHEN MUTHINI
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Striking Health workers have called on the government to delay the devolution of health services until a proper framework is put in place to safeguard their welfare.

The workers want the government to fast-track the enactment of the Health Act and formulate a Health Policy before the devolution of the sector is implemented.

Speaking in the morning during ‘The Breakfast Show’ on Citizen TV, Health Workers Union Representative Dr Nelly Bosire said the enactment of the Health Act would safeguard the workers from arbitral dismissal and transfers by the governors.

Dr Bosire claimed some governors were already sending doctors back to the central government for redeployment allegedly because they do not belong to their tribes.

She further claimed some health workers had their allowances reduced by as much as 40 per cent as the counties had not allocated enough funds to cater for them in their budgets.

Dr Bosire blamed politicians for the crisis facing the health sector and urged citizens to hold the politicians responsible for the mess.

“We are just pawns in the game of politicians. Hold the people you elected responsible for the mess,” said the doctor.

She observed that it took a very short period to pass the Media Act but the same parliament was procrastinating on a bill that touches on the health of the people.

“Why should it take so long to enact the Health Act yet they did the Media Act in a few days?” posed Ms Bosire.

She dared the governors to go ahead and sack the striking workers, but also cautioned that they may find it difficult to get their replacement as there were hardly enough doctors in the country.

Dr Bosire observed that there were about 5,000 doctors in the country out of which 3000 were working in the private sector, leaving the public hospitals with barely 2000 doctors.

Some governors have already called on retired and unemployed health workers to register and take up the places of the striking workers.

Murang’a County Governor Mwangi wa Iria has asked the striking health workers in his county to resume duty or face the sack.

The governor, through a notice placed in the Sunday Nation, ordered all medical practitioners and medics who are employees of the county government to resume duty by Monday.

The governor also sent out an appeal to all willing retired medics, interns and any other unemployed medical personnel to report to Murang’a Mothers’ Union Hall for immediate deployment.