Health workers at the Garissa Level Five Hospital have downed their tools at a time when the Coronavirus pandemic has attacked the neighbouring Mandera County which is now on lockdown.
According to a report by the Kenya News Agency (KNA) on Saturday, April 25, the medics took to the street after the county delayed in settling their dues for March 2020.
According to the reports, the strike involved all cadres of health workers, including general physicians, doctors, surgeons, nurses, paediatricians, pharmacists, nutritionists, lab technologists, dentists, clinical officers, and support staff.
The medics were bearing placards with messages showing their complaints about the county government and vowed not to resume work until they are paid.
Acting Chair of the Garissa Chapter of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU), Hassan Abdi Mohamed informed that staff salaries had continuously been delayed by the county for the previous three years.
“Salaries have been gradually delaying for the last three years. You can imagine it's now April 23, and healthcare workers have not been paid their March salary. We won’t resume until salaries are paid.
“Salaries, among other benefits of staff at the hospital are usually handled casually. We have raised our concern with the relevant authorities but nobody seems to take us seriously. This is our last resort to have our grievances addressed,” Abdi stated.
He further informed that leave allowances for the workers at the hospital had not been paid for three years.
Other grievances they demanded included promotions for members of staff who have served in the same grade for over five years, and also the non-remittance of NHIF, NSSF as well as union subscription fee.
The union official further claimed that the county administration was ill-prepared to deal with the looming Covid-19 outbreak which had already struck the neighbouring Mandera County.
“The facility lacks basic essentials among them gloves. It will be very difficult for our health workers to handle Covid-19 with only 15 beds, lack of enough personal protective equipment (PPEs) and ventilators,” he stated.
The official vowed to hold what they called a salary parade every 6th of the month if the county fails to pay their salaries on time and informed that union members in the six subcounties have also joined in the strike.
