Busia Health workers issue strike notice

Busia, Tuesday July, 11, 2023

KNA by Victoria Magar/Salome Alwanda

Health workers in Busia County have threatened to paralyze operations in all public health facilities on Thursday to push for the implementation of their promotion packages. 

Officials from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU), Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), and Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) announced plans to down tools by July 13 when their strike notice lapses.

 Speaking on behalf of the health workers an official of the Kenya Medical Practitioner and Dentist Union (KMPDU) Sande Charo said that the three unions had earlier issued the notice which expires on Thursday at exactly 11.59 pm adding that all health workers were directed not to report to work unless their demands were met before then.

“Staff are demotivated and you know what it means to be handled by a demotivated staff,” he said.

Charo regretted that health workers who were issued with letters of promotion since 2022 have not seen any monetary increment in their salaries.

“The promotions were not done in an impartial way,” he said adding that there more officers due for promotions in July this year.

He at the same time stated that salary areas for a section of clinical officers have not been paid since 2022.

“We also want to see that health status is corrected because patients are in a pathetic situation,” he said.

The chairman of the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers Busia branch Philemon Nakoche said that the respective health workers unions have tried to reach out to the governor through letters but their efforts have been futile.

“So we will just be joining the governor in the strike that he began when he was inaugurated,” he said.

Busia County Deputy Chairperson of Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Sharon Anyango said that the health sector had been greatly ignored by the County leadership.

Anyango argued that patients could not get the basic health services in various public health facilities.

“So on Thursday this week, all healthcare workers will down their tools until our grievances are addressed,” she said.

Courtesy ; K. N. A