NAIROBI, Kenya, May 7 – The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) on Tuesday staged Protests outside the Health ministry office in Nairobi decrying what they termed as unfavorable working conditions and low salaries.
Led by the Union chairman Peterson Wachira, the clinical officers who marched from Green Park bus terminus to the Health Ministry offices blamed the government for failing to address concerns raised by the Union.
He stated that the government is discriminating against the Union health workers under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) contract by not absorbing them into Permanent and Pensionable contract basis as earlier agreed upon last year.
“Our Health workers under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) contract are being discriminated against because they are being paid half salaries that don’t match the work they are doing. According to the Union constitution the act itself is discriminatory,” said Wachira.
The union raised poor working conditions, low salaries and lack of proper Insurance cover among major issues of concerns that they want the government to address in order to put to an end the Medic strike that entered its 37th day paralyzing health care services in all health facilities across the country.
“As a Union we will not allow our health officers to be discriminated against by the government. Some of our health officers are suffering because they cannot even afford an Insurance cover to cater for their health when they are unwell even in Private hospitals,” he said.
The Union Secretary General George Gibore also raised fingers on the government for ignoring the demands raised by the clinicians stating that the government has been backing off some of the meetings called by the medics aimed to resolve the strike.
Gibore vowed that the Medics will continue with their strike until the government settles on the concerns raised and agree on a return to work formula with the Union members.
“Our strike is about seeking justice for discriminatory workers who are being paid peanuts despite working under the same hours with their counterparts who are paid well under the Permanent and Pensionable contract,” he said.
The union leader said the health workers are against the decision made by the Intergovernmental coordination Summit held in February 2023 that the health workers under the UHC shall be subjected to contract terms for another 3 years instead of being promoted to the permanent and Pensionable term.
“The government has no respect for people who bailed them out when the Nation was struggling with the Covid 19 Pandemic .The government is holding meetings in one hotel to another without any resolutions to ensure Kenyans get access to health services,” added Gibore.
The clinicians were hired in April 2020 during the onset of Covid 19 Pandemic on a three-year contract to boost the response to the pandemic as well as the smooth implementation of UHC.
The Ministry had called on the UHC staff to be patient as the Public Service Commission works out modalities to ensure they are absorbed on permanent and pensionable terms.
