Clinical officers working in all government hospitals apart from Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) are set to go on strike starting Monday.
Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) Secretary General George Gibore and Chair Peterson Wachira say the strike is triggered by what they term as government negligence of the health sector.
In their demands, they want the prolonged negotiations on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to conclude. The talks have stalled since 2017.
They also accuse governors in the counties of being stumbling blocks in the address of their demands.
“While the Ministry of Health has indicated budgetary readiness, the UHC contracts under punitive terms. CoG’s refusal to provide concurrence has stalled progress, on the other hand, insistíng extension of UHC contracts under punitive terms.”
KUCO also wants the immediate recruitment of 20,000 clinical officers, the Ministry of Health’s adherence to 2020 approved internship staff establishment guidelines as well as the approval of Career Progression Guidelines for clinical officers.
The strike comes in the wake of a long-running nationwide doctors strike that has impeded service delivery in the health sector.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has maintained that they will not relent on their strike until the government heeds their demands.
Among the demands include the implementation of the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and the speedy posting of intern doctors in Monday’s meeting with the Ministry of Health leadership.
The doctors are threatening to withdraw even the bare essential services that are currently being offered if the stalemate persists.
