Kirinyaga county governor, Anne Waiguru, made good her threat to fire all striking medics in her county by replacing them with new employees.
Following her recent threats to take action on the employees, the county advertised the striking workers' positions and the recruitment process has been ongoing.
According to County Public Service Board Secretary Geoffrey Githinji, the new staff will be hired on a two-month contract in a bid to end the crisis that had paralysed health services in all hospitals and dispensaries in the region.
Githinji further highlighted that those in different health departments will be expected to report in the course of the week.
Speaking to Nation, Githinji highlighted, “We have started recruiting doctors, nurses and clinical officers as an urgent measure to make health facilities operational again.”
The move comes five days after the governor gave more than 1,000 employees until Monday, June 10, to resume work or face the sack since they were in contempt of a court order restraining them from engaging in a strike.
“They are told to resume work but they refuse to listen to the courts...if they don't return to work we will sack them” she threatened.
The health workers went on strike in May citing unhygienic and unfavourable working conditions but Waiguru claimed that the medics were behind the unsanitary environment
Reports indicate that the neighbouring Embu Referral Hospital has been plunged into a crisis due to high number of patients from Kirinyaga County seeking treatment.
