Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) North Rift Chapter held a peaceful procession in Eldoret to the Governor’s office and the County Assembly to present petitions, seeking full implementation of the requirements they had petitioned for in March this year.
The clinical officers lauded the government for implementing their plea on career progression for clinical officers, calling on the government to move with speed to see into other needs being addressed so that they may return to work to save Kenyans who have suffered due the ongoing strike which is on its 81th day.
Addressing the media, during the peaceful procession in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu, KUCO General Secretary George Gibore said they would not return to work until their requirements had been met fully.
The Clinical officers demanded complete CBA negotiations, promotion and re-designation, absorbing UHC staff to Permanent and Pensionable terms, paying interns per job group, comprehensive medical cover and payment of enhanced risk allowance
“They have refused to address our 10 demands that we issued on 25th March. We will continue to go on strike until they pay our interns as approved by the Public Service Commission. We shall continue being on strike until they agree and sign our CBA, and implement our negotiated risk allowance since 2021. We are not going to work until they implement it fully,” he complained.
He emphasized that they are committed to support the government in its mandate to provide health services to Kenyans as provided for in Article 43(1) (a) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 which guarantees every person the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, as well as reproductive health care.
In his remarks, KUCO chairman Peterson Wachira affirmed their support for UHC as he called for harmonization of salaries for Universal Health Care staff with other health personnel, noting that they were paid way below yet they played the same role as clinical officers.
Present was KUCO Uasin Gishu branch chairman Dennis Cheruiyot, who reiterated the importance of motivated healthcare workers in order to fulfil universal health care implementation.
By Ekuwam Sylvester
