• The health workers under the national government have been on strike since Friday over lack of promotions and job redesignations.
• The strike has affected all port health facilities including airports and border points, the National Spinal Injury Hospital, Mathari and Othaya hospitals.
Image: COURTESY
Nairobi residents could be forced to look for health services elsewhere after medics under the Nairobi Metropolitan Services joined a strike by their national government counterparts.
Services are expected to be disrupted in county public hospitals such as Pumwani Maternity, Mama Lucy Kibaki and Mbagathi.
The health workers under the national government have been on strike since Friday over lack of promotions and job redesignations.
The strike has affected all port health facilities including airports and border points, the National Spinal Injury Hospital, Mathari and Othaya hospitals, the national blood bank, national public health laboratories and all other facilities served by members working under the Ministry of health.
“We went on strike last month which ended on September 17 and signed a return-to-work formula with the employer. Unfortunately, the same health workers are on the streets to demand implementation of the agreement,” Tom Nyakaba said.
Nyakaba is the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers' secretary for Nairobi and the secretary Health Caucus in the city.
“We are not going back this time without our return-to-work formula implemented fully and we are not begging. This is our right,” he said.
There has been a push and pull between NMS and the county government after some of the functions were taken over by the Mohammed Badi-led team.
“The other day we had a meeting with NMS and they were telling us part of the reasons why they are not implementing our return-to-work agreement is that some of them do not have files,” said Brown Ashira, the branch secretary for the Kenya Health Professionals Society, Nairobi.
Ashira said they are not part of the war between NMS and the county.
“As we work hard as healthcare workers we are not part of the wars and the tantrums and the hullaballoos that are associated with NMS and the county,” Ashira said.
The health workers said the public hospitals will remain closed until all the issues they are demanding for are addressed.
The medics had issued a seven-day strike notice on October 19, for lack of commitment by the ministry to come to the table and dialogue with them.
They gave the government a seven-day ultimatum to ensure all officers who have stagnated in job groups are promoted based on qualifications.
They further demanded that promotions be effected based on years of stagnation.
For instance, they said, there are officers in four job groups who have stagnated for more than 12 years. Those in three other job groups who have not moved for nine to 11 years.
“To the healthcare workers, we have followed due laws and procedures to go on this strike. Please just rest at home, relax, take your time, and work from home. You can make some money through virtual consultations,” KUCO secretary-general George Gibore said.
Other unions taking part in the strike include the Kenya National Union of Nurses, the Kenya Health Professionals Society, the Kenya National Union of Laboratory Officers, Kenya National Union of Pharmaceutical Technologists and the Kenya Union of Nutritionists and Dieticians.