Medical personnel working under the Universal Health Care scheme in Siaya want Governor James Orengo to fulfil a promise of absorbing them on permanent and pensionable employment terms.
The workers who marched to the county headquarters to demand audience with the Governor said that they have been hoodwinked to continue working under unfavourable terms with the hope that the County Government will live up to its promise but in vain.
Addressing the media outside the Governor’s office in Siaya town, the UHC workers led by Caleb Oginga and Lorraine Nabwire lamented how they have been missing out whenever vacancies arise due to lack of money to bribe their way.
“The Governor promised us that no recruitment will take place within the county without us being considered but the opposite has been happening,” lamented Oginga adding that any UHC worker who finds him or herself before the recruitment panel has to dig into his or her pockets to bribe the powers that will in turn make the terms translate into permanent and pensionable scheme.
“This has happened to most of us and those unable to do it do not succeed,” he said adding that this has resulted into depression amongst them.
Oginga further called for clarification on whether they are National or County government employees, adding that whereas the county officials nag and harass them for demanding fair remuneration, they always dismiss them as National Government workers.
UHC health care worker, Lorraine Nabwire lamented that the government has not paid them their gratuity on two occasions that their contracts expired before renewal as the case should be.
Nabwire further blamed the County Government for failing to remit statutory deductions to the relevant bodies.
“When we fall sick, we are left on our own and cannot be helped as the Social Health Insurance Fund and Social Health Authority are not functioning,” she said.
She called on the National Government through the Ministry of Health and the County Government to urgently resolve their concerns to enable them continue rendering services to the public.
Nabwire made a passionate plea to Governor Orengo to live up to his promise and take up the matter personally.
“Kindly fulfil your promise of giving priority to UHC workers to be given a permanent and pensionable Scheme,” she said.
Her colleagues, Isaac Otieno Abol and Wilson Odhiambo Ochieng lamented that the UHC workers were currently earning just a quarter of what their colleagues were earning hence demoralizing them.
“We are going through a difficult situation as the remuneration is too low,” said Ochieng adding that it was a pity that some of the people they have mentored in the past but have connections have been fully employed by the County Government.
The staff, who downed their tools, said they have been forced to demand audience with Governor Orengo himself after several meetings with top County Government officials failed to yield tangible results.
The Governor and his team could not be reached for comment as they were said to be locked in a meeting after which he left for an engagement in South Gem.
By Philip Onyango
