Medial Services at government health facilities in Uasin Gishu County continue to be hampered as clinical officers from the region press on with strike.
The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) North Rift region Secretary, Jacob Maswai told the press in Eldoret that their strike was still on despite threats by county governments alleging it was illegal.
Maswai urged the clinical officers in Uasin Gishu to disregard the threats from the county government and press on with the strike until their grievances are heard and addressed.
“The county government has been issuing threats to clinical officers, saying that the strike is illegal and intimidating them to resume work. We wish to state that we shall not be intimidated and we shall continue to paralyze services in the health facilities until we come to an agreement with the relevant government authorities,” he stressed.
The strike that has lasted over a week now resulted from the county government’s failure to implement a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The medics also demand for promotions of their colleagues who furthered their studies as well as a salary increment.
The union also want clinical officer interns to be paid for the huge workload they are subjected to.
The union’s Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital Secretary, Xavier Wamalwa, called on the county government to backdate payments for interns for the period that they have been on internship.
Wamalwa pointed out that the county lacks an internship centre and is forced to rely on MTRH, which is a national hospital.
The clinical officers called on the government to schedule negotiations with the union, failure to which they will carry on with the industrial action.
By Leila Barasa/Deborah Wakini
