The Council of Governors (CoG) has revealed that it is putting a system in place to ensure fired doctors do not get employed elsewhere.
While speaking at a press conference in Nairobi on Wednesday, January 13, COG Chair Wycliffe Oparanya noted that increment in allowances for the health workers would affect the county's budget,
He further revealed that the health workers who abscond duties would be dealt with in accordance with the law adding that the names of those fired over indiscipline would be circulated so that they are not considered for employment in other counties or other government organisations.
"Counties shall not commit to any allowance not factored in their budget. We shall circulate names of health workers who have been terminated on account of indiscipline so that they will not be considered for employment by other counties," stated Oparanya at the presser.
He further noted that the CoG was open to dialogue with the doctors in order to solve the pay dispute that has seen various health workers go on strike for more than a month.
"We would like to put to an end the perennial strikes by the health workers which has left an impact in the health sector," he added.
This comes shortly after various counties fired doctors that had proceeded on strike over payment disputes with various counties.
On Wednesday, January 6, 86 doctors, including KMPDU boss Chibanzi Mwachonda and senior specialists were fired by Mombasa County after they refused to return to work.
The county government shared the notice with the affected staff via email but the doctors have repeatedly maintained that they will not return to work until their demands are met.
"Following the correspondence shared between the Department of Health and the County Public Service Board on the doctors strike, the Board, pursuant to Section 59 (1) (c) of the County Governments Act number 17 of 2012, hereby conveys its decision via Special Board meeting held on January 5, 2021 that all the doctors who have failed, refused and/or neglected to return to work be dismissed from county services as provided for under Section 44 (4) (a), (c) and (e) of the Employment Act 2007 which constitute justifiable or lawful grounds for the dismissal as highlighted in the Act," read the statement in part.
On Tuesday, January 12, Taita Taveta County sacked over 500 health workers after claiming that they were taking part in an illegal strike.
It was reported that the medics had refused to return to work even as the county assured that the matter was being addressed in another capacity.
Doctors have been on strike on and off over perennial salary delays, non-remittance of statutory deductions and insurance premiums.
