The governors explained that what was budgeted for the nurses, clinical officers and other health workers in the counties as allowances amounted to Sh1.6 billion with doctors getting Sh1.5 billion/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 16 – The Council of Governors wants Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu to make public the schedule of disbursements for each County Government following delays in the payment of doctors’ salary arrears after their strike.
In a statement, the Governors stated that they also need to know the dates and actual amounts disbursed to the counties.
“Contrary to media reports and the statement made by the Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Health Cleopa Mailu, County Governments have not received any funds to pay nurses, doctors, clinical officers and other health professionals,” CoG said in the statement.
The governors explained that what was budgeted for the nurses, clinical officers and other health workers in the counties as allowances amounted to Sh1.6 billion with doctors getting Sh1.5 billion.
“The National Government had committed to provide County Governments with funds to pay for the increase allowances awarded to health personnel for six months starting January 2017 to June 2017,” they said.
They explained that the monies were meant to cushion counties for six months before end of the 2016/17 financial year.
They stated that the allocation is yet to be disbursed to any County Government since the Senate has not resumed its sessions to approve the allocations.
“However, we are aware that the Ministry of Health has already paid the health workers under its docket leaving out health workers at the Counties.”
The Council of Governors also demanded to know under what provisions of the law the ministry purported to disburse the monies to the County Governments without the Senate’s approval.
It appealed to the Senate to reconsider convening urgently as a matter of national interest to approve the said allocations.
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