Doctors strike continues after talks fail

The stand-off between the government and health workers over devolution continued Wednesday, paralysing services in public hospitals.

The two players dug in, with Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia terming demands by doctors and nurses as unconstitutional while unions insist that their strike will continue.

The unions want the devolution of health staff and payroll to counties stopped. But Mr Macharia said stopping devolution required a referendum, and that the ministry had no role to play.

He said the requirement that health functions that include staff and resources should be devolved to the counties was constitutional and nothing could be done about it.

“What the doctors are demanding is unconstitutional and is beyond the powers of the ministry,” he said.

On Tuesday evening, the two groups met and released a statement that stipulated that devolvement of health functions be postponed till February.

Bills to anchor devolution of health services would be prepared by then. But the statement was not signed by union leaders.

Mr Macharia expressed his frustrations with the unions saying he sacrificed several hours in meetings with unions, only for them to turn around and declare a strike.

The timing of the strike, just as Kenyans prepared to celebrate 50 years of independence, was also suspect, said the minister during an interview with the Nation at his office in Nairobi.

The minister said the unions wanted two things, stoppage of devolution of health services to counties and the formation of a health service commission.

Both, he added, were outside the mandate of the ministry.

But in an earlier interview, Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union secretary-general Sultani Matendechero accused governors and the ministry of refusing to give in to their demands to anchor the devolution of health services in law.

The minister warned health workers that they may be sacked by the county government if unions do not call off the strike.

“We had asked the counties to freeze fresh recruitment of health workers until the impasse with the unions was resolved. But now that the health workers have gone on strike, the counties will continue hiring ,” Mr Macharia warned.

Hiring of nurses

In counties, governors vowed to hire temporary staff to avert a crisis in hospitals.

Mombasa governor Hassan Joho said that they are recruiting 100 nurses, 24 clinical officers and seven doctors at a cost of Sh1,000 per patient per day.

The group shall consist of retired medical officers and the unemployed. They will be hired by the end of the day, he said.

Interim county chief officer Esther Gitambo reiterated that they were forced to discharge some patients prematurely due to the strike.

In Bomet, governor Isaac Ruto directed doctors and nurses to vacate hospital houses and hand them over to the health management committee.

“Health workers not willing to work with us should prepare to go back to the national government for either re-deployment or retrenchment whichever may apply,” he said.

In Uasin Gishu, governor Jackson Mandago stormed the county district hospital and ordered the striking staff to resume work or be sacked by his government.

Mr Mandago told the staff who had camped at the Uasin Gishu district hospital to vacate the government premises if they were not ready to go back to work.

But Kenya National Union of Nurses Uasin Gishu county branch secretary John Bii condemned the county chief’s remarks.

“Our governor has no etiquette. He has treated nurses and medical officers in a humiliating way. We refuse to be harassed and to work under such barbaric leadership,” Mr Bii stressed.

Patients admitted in most public health facilities in Western Kenya were yesterday discharged to seek treatment elsewhere as the strike by doctors and nurses continued.

Services were paralysed in Nyamira, Kisumu, Migori, Homa Bay, Vihiga, Kisii, Kakamega and Bomet counties.

Doctors and nurses also boycotted work in virtually all health facilities in Homa Bay county.

Most of the rural health facilities, especially dispensaries and health centres were closed.

And at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral hospital in Kisumu, only the finance unit was open as families paid bills for their relatives.