The society which comprises 18 unions and associations opposed the review stating that there lacked wide consultations on the process with major health stakeholders/CFM NEWS
NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 24 – The Kenya Health Professional Society has called for formation of a task force to review the Sarah Serem report on Job evaluation for the public service.
The society which comprises 18 unions and associations opposed the review stating that there lacked wide consultations on the process with major health stakeholders.
“The report didn’t even remotely address the plight of health workers. What professionals need are reviews and evaluation related to continuous training and upgrading,” said the Executive Chairman of the Medical Lab Association Abala Wanga.
The society has given Serem and the Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua 14 days to form the task force which they say should also include the relevant health stakeholders, failure to which they will join in the strike notice issued by doctors and nurses.
“The taskforce needs to look into the report and make the necessary adjustments and change the report to suite the circumstances of the workers in the country,” stated Wanga.
Secretary General Association of Public Health officers Mohamed Duba said the report has thrown the existing systems into disarray as well as not reviewing the scheme of service.
“The constitution demands that there must be stakeholders participation, we have the scheme of service where workers have been stagnated in one job group in more than 20 years despite people attaining higher levels of education,” said Duba.
Other recommendations made by the society include, review and improvement of appraisals which has left many stagnated in one job group for years.
They also want improvement of the medical insurance scheme, to make it consumable for the health worker, a well documented comprehensive pension scheme and house, uniforms, commuter allowances.
In addition, they are seeking conclusion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Just this month, the doctors and nurses union opposed the job evaluation for the public service report saying not only had it delayed their separate pay deals, it had also failed to quote exact figures of what they should earn.
The doctors are demanding for a 300 percent pay rise, while the nurses are demanding a salary increase of between 25 to 40 percent and an allowance increase of 14 to 25 percent.
This will mean the highest paid doctor will earn Sh946,000 and the lowest Sh342,770.
“On December 5, services in all public hospitals will be paralyzed should the government fail to heed to our demands,” cited Wanga.
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