NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 10 – The Council of Governors (CoG) on Thursday urged striking health workers to understand prevailing circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and put the lives of Kenyans first at a time medical staff are demanding provision of adequate personal protective equipment to shield themselves against COVID-19.
CoG Chairperson Wycliffe Oparanya, through a statement to newsrooms said the medics are well placed to call off the strike advising them to heed to a court order suspending the strike pending a scheduled hearing of a petition challenging a planned strike.
“As you are all aware the doctors went to Court and Court directed that the industrial action by the doctors to be suspended pending the hearing and determination of the application therefore the doctors are well placed to call off their strike,” he said.
Oparanya said the medics cannot effectively discharge their duties with threats and bravado further urging them to channel their grievances through their respective unions.
“For health workers in the National Government, let the grievances be addressed at the national level with the respective relevant union, the lives of all Kenyans matter and we can be able to pull through this pandemic period together and save many lives but we cannot do this with threats and bravado.”
He, however, commended health workers in twenty-two counties, whom he noted continue to serve Kenyans diligently despite various challenges including salary delays.
“We take this opportunity to thank the health workers in 22 Counties who have made the decision to serve the mwananchi as they continue to address their grievances with their respective County Government,” Oparanya said.
“We urge all Governors to meet with the recognized County health workers Unions and discuss their grievances with a view of resolving any outstanding grievances amicably,” he added.
Oparanya highlighted that all counties are battling a wide range or problems including conversion of contractual employment to permanent and pensionable terms and enhancement of risk allowances.
He further said that there are undue delays by the National Treasury in disbursement of funds to County Governments which has resulted in delayed allocation of October, November and December disbursements amounting to Sh60 billion.
“This means salary delays unavailability of pharm and non-pharm, payment of due bills and remittance of statutory deductions among others. Despite this challenges am happy to report that only 2 Counties have not paid the November salaries,” Oparanya said.
“The other 45 Counties have had to take bank overdrafts to ensure that at least salaries are paid on time. But this cannot cover statutory remittances because of their huge monetary implications,” he explained.
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