The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union has lashed out at Health CS Mutahi Kagwe following his remarks on the health workers strike.
Dr. Chibanzi Mwachonda, acting Secretary General for KMPDU criticised Kagwe for thanking medics yet they are bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is the level of insensitivity & arrogance health care workers have to deal with, raising grievances on your welfare and safety in COVID-19 is a crime. The ‘appreciation’ to health care workers in the country is illaudable,” he said on Twitter.
He was responding to CS Kagwe’s statement that health workers should return to work to avoid getting fired.
On Friday, during a Press briefing, the CS said: “I urge you to resume work to avoid losing your job. Please do not lose your job. As we go towards Christmas, the festive season, do not be another statistic that will be a job seeker next year. Please go back to where you are supposed to be.”
He lauded the court’s decision to stop the health workers strike saying the decision is timely for the festive season and will allow for negotiations.
However, the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) insists that Kagwe’s statement was erroneous.
On December 2, KMPDU failed to strike a deal with the Government and threatened to join the ongoing health workers’ strike.
Doctors have accused the government of failing to commit itself to fulfil their recommendations that would see them avert the looming strike.
“I want to remind the government that the healthcare workers you’re trying to mistreat, the healthcare workers you’re not listening to, are the same ones who treat you when you go to the hospitals, are the same ones who take care of you in your various homes,” the union’s National Chairperson Dr. Samuel Oroko said.
“We know some governors have bought ventilators and created ICUs in their own bedrooms, Kenyans, I want to tell you that you’re on your own, the government doesn’t care for you anymore,” he added.
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