Health workers in Busia down tools over unpaid salaries

Health workers in Busia down tools over unpaid salaries

Health Workers at Busia County Hospital have downed their tools to protest against non-payment of their salary for the last three months.

Led by their chairman Peter Otieno, the workers said the county hospital administration owes them Sh300,000 as arrears for NHIF, NSSF and HELB deductions which have not been remitted to the relevant bodies.

Apart from salary arrears, the workers are also expressed displeasure over delayed promotions, arbitrary transfers, nepotism, cronyism and discrimination based on one’s county of origin.

Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPPDU) chairman Dr Victor Ng’ani has however said they are yet to effect the payments to the health workers account.

Otieno has vowed that they will carry on with the strike as long as their grievance is not addressed.

However, the hospital medical superintendent Dr Janerose Ambuchi wondered why the workers are still on strike despite the hospital management’s assurance that they will address their grievances.

The strike has paralysed service at the hospital, with patients complaining that they have not received any service for two days now.

Some of the patients claimed that they have not eaten since the strike began because they are served food with the hospital due to their nutritional heath conditions.

The effect of the strike was also evident in wards which were dirty.

The medics said they want an independent commission to be formed under the Health Service Commission to address issues facing doctors and other health workers in the devolved system of governance in Busia County.

However over the recent past, the Cabinet Secretary for Health James Macharia was adamant that the ministry will not allow the formation of a commission because it is unconstitutional and goes against the spirit of devolution.

The call for formation of the commission forced the minister to draft a memo which was later tabled in parliament for discussions.

The memo aims at centralising health services hence addressing critical issues such as strikes which have dogged county governments since their inception in 2013.

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Kenya Medical Practitioners chairman Peter Otieno medical superintendent Dr Janerose Ambuchi Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPPDU) chairman Dr Victor Ng’ani

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