Clinical officers have accused the Salaries and Remunerations Commission of being insensitive to health workers during the coronavirus outbreak.
Kenya Union of Clinical Officers in a statement on Saturday said the SRC has objected to the award of risk and special allowances to health workers, especially in Machakos.
KUCO chairman Peterson Wachira said the SRC has always remained mute when health workers, especially those on county and hospital contracts, are underpaid.
He said it is baffling that the commission is thus quick to object to such awards.
“We find this action insensitive, hypocritical and an affront against the sacrifices of many health workers who have dedicated themselves under extremely risky conditions and with inadequate protection to safeguard the lives of Kenyans,” Wachira said in the statement.
SRC chair Lyn Mengich on Thursday wrote to the Council of Governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya advising against counties awarding special allowances without seeking proper advice from the commission.
In the letter, Mengich said such awards are not only unlawful but may also cause inequality in remuneration across the sector which, she said, may lead to instability in the sector.
Mengich said counties have not consulted the commission.
“Whereas the commission is cognisant of the challenges faced by health professionals in the fight against Covid-19, it is concerned that due process has to be followed in the introduction of any new allowances by way of seeking advisory from the commission as required by law,” she wrote.
The commission chairperson said counties should instead channel the funds towards the purchase of Personal Protection Equipment for the protection of workers.
Machakos county has introduced additional special allowances of between Sh5,000 and Sh20,000 per month to their professionals based on their duties.
The additional allowances took effect on April 1.
On Saturday, Wachira said the SRC has been pious in its operations, either remaining mum or giving empty promises whenever clinical officers and other health workers raise concerns.
He said clinical officers are the most exposed to risks during such an outbreak as coronavirus with six already having been infected in the line of duty.
“There are clinical officers, nurses, pharmaceutical technologists, and laboratory technicians employed in many counties who are paid less than third of what their colleagues performing the same duties are paid in others,” Wachira said.
Clinical officers, for instance, earn a risk allowance of Sh3,000 per month, yet they are the most at risk because they are mostly in the frontline, while the highest risk allowance is Sh20,000 per month given to doctors.
Wachira said other countries like Ghana and Nigeria have gone beyond allowances and have even waived taxes for health workers to show appreciation for their sacrifices.
“We demand that SRC audits hospital and county-based contracts, advises that all health workers performing work of equal value be paid equally and withdraws the ill-advised and insensitive letter aimed at denying health workers their deserved dues,” the union chair said.
Rarieda MP and lawyer Otiende Amollo said SRC’s letter to the CoG is misplaced and unfortunate. He said the SRC is losing it.
The MP said the commission is becoming insensitive to some of the most critical workers in the country.
“Apart from SRC’s mandate on salaries being restricted to state officers and merely advisory on public officers, periodic bonuses and motivations cannot be unlawful,” Amollo said.
Edited by R.Wamochie
