Vets demand to be paid like doctors
A veterinarian administers medicine to a cow in Kwale on March 6, 2008. Veterinarians want salary harmonisation. PHOTO | BONIFACE WALUNYWA
What you need to know:
- Chairman Kahariri said that graduate vets are identified as health workers in the Constitution and should be treated as such.
- The associations gave a timeline of three months and asked the Treasury to increase their budgetary allocation.
Veterinarians are demanding to be remunerated the same way as their human-medicine counterparts.
The demands come at the height of the nurses’ strike, which has left the health care system reeling, not so long after the doctors’ strike that ended in March.
In a statement sent to Nation, Kenya Veterinary Association Chairman Samuel Kahariri said that graduate vets are identified as health workers in the Constitution and should be treated as such.
LIST OF DEMANDS
They also want the council of governors to hire an additional 500 veterinary surgeons and 1,000 veterinary paraprofessionals — degree holders in animal health, certificate and diploma holders in veterinary surgery or animal health.
“The professionals have presented a memorandum to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and expect nothing less than full harmonisation in order to continue offering the essential veterinary services and safeguard the health of animals, human and environment,” read the statement signed by Kenya Veterinary Paraprofessionals Association and Kenya Livestock Marketing Council officials.
The associations gave a timeline of three months and asked the Treasury to increase their budgetary allocation.
