Health workers under the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers threatened to strike after decrying neglect from the government.
In a press briefing on Monday, January 30, the officers announced a strike in 14 days if President William Ruto failed to meet their demands.
They claimed that the new government had failed to deliver on its promises outlined in the Kenya Kwanza manifesto.
Some of the issues raised included the slow realisation of universal health coverage, discrimination in internship pay and lack of a national health task force.
“We came and asked that for us to be able to audit and to move forward - having learned the lessons over the last decade - that we needed a task force to be formed to evaluate this and even provide for a framework for many things we lack,” they announced.
The officers further noted that they had not received any feedback from the government despite having raised the issues affecting the sector for a long time.
“We have not received any response. Ruto should listen to health workers and other health stakeholders, appoint a national joint taskforce on health that will be a game changer to look into challenges that are there and provide an amicable solution to that,” they stated.
Health sector has, for a long time, been facing wrangles leading to frequent go-slows.
The clinical officers' threat came after Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) suspended their intended strike on Thursday, January 5.
The 30-day strike which was intended to begin on Friday, January 6, 2023, was called off following positive outcomes of consultations with the government to resolve the stalemate.
“Over the last month, we are grateful for the efforts shown by the government and the acknowledgment by Ruto and the Ministry of Health who took time to engage the union in a bid to resolve the very issues including employment of doctors across the country,” the union's Secretary General, Dr. Davji Attellah stated.
They had threatened to withdraw services if their 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) demands were not met.
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