Deputy President William Ruto has hit out at former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on his earlier remarks over issues relating to health workers' call for a strike.
Ruto also chided politicians for being insensitive while asking health workers to shelve their demands for better pay and adequate protection from the vagaries of Covid-19.
The DP termed as irresponsible leadership, the push to shelve issues affecting health service providers in the face of a pandemic that has affected the economy and caused deaths.
"I think it is reckless and irresponsible for anybody to say that we wait for political processes so that we can find the money to address the pandemic that we are in. I think that is putting the cart before the horse. Let us sort out the pandemic, the political processes will follow," said the DP.
The Ruto made the remarks in Kericho County during the burial ceremony of Lt. General (Rtd) John Koech.
His remarks came a day after ODM leader Raila Odinga urged doctors not to hold the government to ransom by going on strike.
Odinga had told health workers to review their demands and put them on hold until the constitutional review and Covid-19 curve is flattened as the country is faced with an economic crisis.
“It’s not the right time for doctors to hold the government at ransom, yet they took an oath to protect lives. How then do you justify downing your tools when people are dying, lives which you can actually save?" posed Odinga.
Meanwhile, Ruto stated that the government has directed the Ministry of Health to immediately engage with the leadership of all healthcare workers in the country to make sure that their grievances are addressed.
Ruto appealed to the healthcare unions to understand where the country is at the moment, even as they demand their issues to be solved.
He also stated that the personal protective equipment (PPEs) which had been detained by detectives in an ongoing investigation over alleged procurement anomalies would immediately be released to health workers.
"If our health systems were working properly, it is possible General Koech would have been saved and he would still be with us. We should prioritize health issues as leaders," said Ruto.
