The Council of Governors has threatened to go to court to block the ongoing re-categorisation of health facilities.
Chairman Peter Munya yesterday said the move fronted by the ministry and the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists’ Union is illegal.
The council will not participate in the process as health is a devolved function and the ministry has no mandate to conduct such an exercise, he told journalists at the Devolution Conference in Naivasha.
The Council of Governors has threatened to go to court to block the ongoing re-categorisation of health facilities.
Chairman Peter Munya yesterday said the move fronted by the ministry and the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists’ Union is illegal.
The council will not participate in the process as health is a devolved function and the ministry has no mandate to conduct such an exercise, he told journalists at the Devolution Conference in Naivasha.
Health is a county function
The council has written to the ministry to withdraw from the exercise or it will take legal action, Munya said.
“The council wishes to emphasise that the fourth schedule of the Constitution gives the counties powers and functions relating to health facilities,” he said.
“It is only county governments that may undertake an exercise to re-categorise health facilities.”
But director of Medical Services Jackson Kioko defended the re-categorisation of health facilities, saying it was meant to get the data of what some of the services facilities are capable of offering.
“We want to know how many facilities have the requirements of offering services in what areas and what services are missing in some areas so that it can be enhanced,” he said.
Munya also said the new collective bargaining agreement with the Kenya National Union of Nurses and the county governments be will signed in two weeks.
Strike threats inappropriate
The Meru governor said the union’s threats to call for a fresh strike is inappropriate as talks to finalise the deal are progressing well.
“We signed the recognition agreement with the union in good faith. We have asked the union for an extension of two weeks to facilitate the finalisation of the CBA,” he said.
As part of the agreement, Munya said, they had planned a joint meeting between the union and the council to discuss the counter offer made jointly by the state and counties.
He said the council has sent guidelines to all county governments to pay the allowances of the health professionals and clinical workers as agreed.
The council has written to the ministry to withdraw from the exercise or it will take legal action, Munya said.
“The council wishes to emphasise that the fourth schedule of the Constitution gives the counties powers and functions relating to health facilities,” he said.
“It is only county governments that may undertake an exercise to re-categorise health facilities.”
But director of Medical Services Jackson Kioko defended the re-categorisation of health facilities, saying it was meant to get the data of what some of the services facilities are capable of offering.
“We want to know how many facilities have the requirements of offering services in what areas and what services are missing in some areas so that it can be enhanced,” he said.
Munya also said the new collective bargaining agreement with the Kenya National Union of Nurses and the county governments be will signed in two weeks.
Strike threats inappropriate
The Meru governor said the union’s threats to call for a fresh strike is inappropriate as talks to finalise the deal are progressing well.
“We signed the recognition agreement with the union in good faith. We have asked the union for an extension of two weeks to facilitate the finalisation of the CBA,” he said.
As part of the agreement, Munya said, they had planned a joint meeting between the union and the council to discuss the counter offer made jointly by the state and counties.
He said the council has sent guidelines to all county governments to pay the allowances of the health professionals and clinical workers as agreed.