Cri**s in Homa Bay public hospitals as medics strike
Health services in public hospitals in Homa Bay county were yesterday paralysed as health workers boycotted work over two months’ salary payment standoff.
The medics, who had issued a notice regarding an intended go-slow, made good their threats and went on strike.
They had issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the county government that expired on Sunday evening.
Consequently, nurses downed tools, leaving patients unattended. They absconded duty and instead engaged in salary parade, demanding that the county moves swiftly to remit their salaries for January and April.
County Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) officials, led by chairman Amos Ogaga, Trustee Lilian Ogutu and Deputy Secretary Emmardic Okeyo, accused the county of failing to remit their dues, which was part of a return-to-work agreement.
Speaking in the town yesterday, Ogaga said they will continue with the go-slow and salary parade until the pending payments are effected.
“We love our work but we can’t work on empty stomachs. We are not going to relent until the salary arrears are cleared,” he said.
The medics also claimed that 64 of their colleagues have not been paid since January.
Participates in strike
Union officials said salaries of the 64 were stopped when the county was undertaking verification of nurses.
“The 64 nurses have not been paid since January. The county government should pay them their arrears too,” Ogaga added.
Ogutu on the other hand claimed that the county had withheld their January salaries because they participated in a strike.
“In our return-to work-agreement, the county promised to avoid any form of victimisation and pay us all our salaries but it has reneged on the promise,” she said.
Other three health unions in the county, Kenya Union of Clinical Officers, Kenya National Union of Nutrition and Dieticians and Kenya National Union of Lab Technologists joined Knun members in the strike.
But Health Executive Richard Muga and Chief Officer Gerald Akeche said the salary delays was due to delay in receiving shared revenue from the National Treasury. Muga promised the medics they will be paid soon as the county receives funds.
“The medics will get their pay as soon as the money hits the county Treasury bank account,” Muga said.
