- Most insurance providers have said they will not cover the Covid-19 during the pandemic
- Governors have protested against the decision by PSC to advertise health jobs yet the function is devolved
Nurses have asked the government to give them Sh10 million special insurance cover during the battle with coronavirus.
Kenya National Union of Nurses secretary general Seth Panyako said although nurses were on the frontline in the war to combat the virus, they lacked medical cover for their families in the event of death.
"We want the government to consider this cover because it's us nurses who are exposed in this war against the virus. Who will take care of our families when we die?" he asked.
Most insurance providers have said they will not cover the Covid-19 during the pandemic.
Addressing the press in Kakamega on Friday, Panyako asked the government to isolate nurses handling the pandemic from their families to avoid their infection.
"We don't want what's happening in America to happen here. These nurses should be isolated for 14 days and tested so that those found to be infected are placed on treatment," he said.
Panyako said the hiring of additional 5, 500 healthcare workers of various cadres to support the war against the virus should be done by the Public Service Commission and not county governments to ensure fairness, transparency and accountability.
Governors have protested against the decision by PSC to advertise health jobs yet the function is devolved.
Council of Governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya said the move by the commission to call for the jobs was not part of the agreement with stakeholders.
PSC seeks to recruit 500 registered clinical officers, at least 2,000 registered nurses and 200 pharmacists among other healthcare workers.
Panyako said county governments had no capacity to hire the medics, noting some did not even have public service boards.
He said the hiring should give priority to nurses who had been engaged by counties.
Panyaco said that nurses should be paid a risk allowance of Sh 20, 000.
Edited by Henry Makori