Health workers give Kagwe ultimatum to tame Afya House ‘cartels’
Kenya Health Professionals Society yesterday petitioned Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe to reign on cartels at Afya House failure to which he should resign.
The health professionals want Kagwe to deal with the cartels whom they accused of delaying paying their salaries, life insurance cover and allowances.
Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) secretary general Seth Panyako accused Kagwe of dining and wining with cartels even after acknowledging that they have run rogue in his docket.
“Health CS should take responsibility and crack the whip. If you are unable to clean the docket, just resign.
It’s absurd to transfer individuals linked to corruption to other positions instead of sacking,” said Panyako.
Panyako regretted that negotiations and dialogue on promotion, salaries and allowances have hit a snag after the Ministry of Health officials and those in counties gave it a wide berth.
“Afya house is a cash cow for big boys and guys in this country. Kagwe should stop lecturing Kenyans on TV, take action or resign,” said Panyako.
“This building has got its fair share of criminals. Like any other marketplace, there are a few mad cases in here.
And we will unearth them. As we move on, we will unearth them,” Kagwe said in an early Covid-19 briefing.
Insurance cover
Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (Kuco) General Secretary George Gibore said health workers are working under a hostile environment and remain exposed to Covid-19.
“So far, two health workers in Kajiado and Nairobi have succumbed to Covid-19 with another 100 contracting the virus,” said Gibore.
He said this is attributed to theft going on in the Ministry of Health exhibited by the recent disappearance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) donated by China billionaire Jack Maa.
“We are demanding life insurance cover and compensation for health workers who succumb and those who contract the coronavirus,” he said.
Acting Director General Patrick Amoth confirmed there are 186 health workers out of which 102 of them are males and 84 are females.
However he clarified that there are no deaths reported. The professionals also want the employment of 10,000 health workers.
Panyako claimed the Ministry of Health is spending Sh1 billion a day, the majority of which is going to individuals as health workers continue to suffer.
He called upon President Uhuru Kenyatta to take charge of MoH.
On reopening the economy, the health professionals have urged the President to do it without hesitating.
“There is no scientific evidence that lockdown and curfew has reduced the spread of Covid-19, Kenyans are suffering, let them work failure to which this would result in a revolution,” he said.
