• Mulomi on Wednesday questioned why public health facilities have not been providing services, yet not all members of staff are on strike.
• He spoke during a meeting with officials of health workers' unions at the Busia County Referral Hospital.
Image: GILBERT OCHIENG
Busia Deputy Governor Moses Mulomi has instructed all healthcare workers who did not issue a strike notice to report back to work with immediate effect.
Mulomi on Wednesday questioned why public health facilities have not been providing services, yet not all members of staff are on strike. Only nurses and clinical officers are on strike.
Mulomi spoke during a meeting with officials of health workers' unions at the Busia County Referral Hospital.
"Most of our health facilities have not offered services since nurses and clinical officers went on strike. The staff who did not issue a strike notice should return to work immediately to discharge their duties,” he said.
The deputy county chief, who is also the acting Health executive, said those who are not on strike, including doctors, laboratory technologists and UHC personnel, should return to work so residents can get services. Patients have borne the brunt of the strike.
"We want the people of Busia to get health services, especially those with emergency cases. We will ensure available personnel are assigned to subcounty hospitals and the Busia County Referral Hospital.”
Mulomi at the same time reiterated that the county government is committed to addressing grievances raised by the striking health workers, adding, however, that most of their concerns should be handled by the national government.
"We still appeal to the striking nurses and clinical officers to return to work as their issues are being addressed,” he said.
He pointed out that they have commenced plans to set up a unit that will have a minimum of 10 beds at the referral facility to handle cases of health workers as was requested by their union representatives.
Also present at the meeting were chief officers Isaac Omeri (Medical Services) and Jonathan Ino (Public Health), County Public Service Board chairperson Assumpta Obore and County Health Management Team members.
Obore said some of the issues raised by the striking health workers were political, administrative and consultative. She urged them to listen to the county government as it strives to end the stalemate.
The representatives of the Kenya National Union of Nurses and the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers said they have no authority to call off the strike, adding that it is the responsibility of the national office.
“We do not have the authority to ask our members to return to work considering that the strike was called by our national leaders,” said KUCO Busia branch chairman Abdul-raziq Juma, remarks that were supported by his KNUN counterpart Isaiah Omondi.