Health workers in Meru County have demanded for the submission of statutory deductions and advertisement of jobs to address biting staff shortage within five days to avert a strike.
Union officials representing doctors, clinical officers, nurses, lab technologists, and pharmaceutical technologists had given a 21-day strike notice that expires on February 5.
They have cited failure by the county government to remit statutory dues amounting to more than Sh38 million for November and December 2019 and ignoring calls to address staff shortage in hospitals.
Addressing journalists in Meru town on Wednesday, Kenya National Union of Nurses Meru Branch Chairman Bakari Munoru said efforts to engage the county Finance Executive Titus Ntuchiu have failed.
“A biting staff shortage is currently the order of the day where health workers are subjected to long working hours beyond the recommended 40 hours per week. The physiotherapy unit at Kanyakine Hospital was closed in 2018 due to staff shortage. The situation is dire at Meru Level Five Hospital where one doctor and one nurse serve a ward with over 60 patients,” Mr Munoru said.
He said Mutuati Level Four Hospital has no medical officer, which is against the set standards.
The health workers are accusing the county government of creating the shortage in order to cut the wage bill.
Kenya Union of Clinical Officers Secretary-General Moses Baiyenia said the casualty department at Meru Level Five Hospital is being manned by interns due to the staff shortage.
Mr Munoru said some workers have defaulted on loans due to delays in salaries payment by the county government.
“We recently discovered that deductions amounting to Sh12.6 million meant for Afya Sacco were sent to Mwalimu Sacco where we are not members. We demand that all pending deductions be paid within 10 days,” the union officials said in a statement.
They also want the county government to release and effect promotions across all cadres and pay accrued arrears.
Mr Munoru said the unions will not allow employment of professionals as casuals.
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