Medical doctors have given the Kajiado county government 7 days to promote their members who have remained in one grade for more than 10 years.
The top officials of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union led by the secretary general, Dr Davji Bhimji, made the remarks in Kitengela town on Thursday.
Bhimnji said delayed promotions and redesignation of doctors are burning their members in Kajiado.
“Most of them have worked for many years with no promotion. The county government of Kajiado has not honoured the signed Collective Bargaining Agreement,” the KMPDU secretary-general said.
He said that the demand for suitability is a scapegoat to bar doctors from attaining rightful job groups.
“Erratic promotion of doctors based on clannism, nepotism and favouritism without consideration of SRC recommendations has caused disharmony among our members in Kajiado,” the doctors said.
Bhimnji said due to this, the Kajiado County Public Service board should be investigated and disbanded.
He said in the released report of the county’s staff audit which was commissioned 4 months ago, the CPSB was adversely mentioned.
The union officials cited the non-existence of annual leave among their members in Kajiado.
“Doctors are understaffed and overworked with zero leave days. The County government has refused to employ new doctors to add to this too,” said the members.
Dr Isaac Naikuni said regrettably, some consultants are serving in two working stations which are hundreds of kilometres far apart without transport allowances and the right job groups.
Naikuni, who works in Kajiado, claimed there is no remittance of third-party deductions.
“These include pension deductions, loans and other insurances. Harassment and intimidation of doctors by CEC Health is demeaning the doctors,” said Naikuni.
When the Star contacted the Health CEC, Alex Kilowua, to comment on the same he said he was unaware of such claims.
“Why are they making such claims in press conferences? Let them come and talk to us and we will address their issues appropriately,” Kilowua said.
“Transfer of doctors are done capriciously, arbitrarily and unreasonably without consideration of norms, standards, values and principles of the public service,” said the KMPDU secretary-general.
He said the condemnation of doctors based on hearsay and not giving them room to express themselves or be heard in the county is common.
“Unavailability of tools necessary for the doctors to perform their duties is an issue of concern in the county too,” the doctors claimed.
They claimed that doctors have been forced to work at Level 3 hospitals without tools and assisting staff.
Kajiado doctors claimed that the Loitokitok subcounty hospital is understaffed.
They want it revoked because the centre needs consultants for proper training of medical interns posted there.
“We demand the immediate transfer of all interns from Loitokitok subcounty hospital to other well-equipped hospitals,” the doctors said.
They also claimed the county is refusing to release employee doctors to undergo postgraduate training with no clear guidelines on continuous professional development.
“With the above complaints, we are left with no option but to give a 7-day strike notice to the county government,” said Bhimji.