The government has urged striking health workers to go back to work, with health services affected countrywide. The strike by nurses and clinical officers in several Counties has paralyzed operations at health facilities, and they’ve insisted that their demands, which include provision of PPEs, effecting promotions among others, are addressed.
Addressing the press on Tuesday, government spokesperson Colonel (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna said the Covid-19 pandemic is like a war and the frontline soldiers shouldn’t retreat, “In a war, the frontline soldiers don’t quit. It is the time when they fight for their country, utilizing whatever little resources they have available.” He said nurses, clinical officers should suspend their strike to give dialogue a chance, lauding doctors under KMPDU for suspending theirs and pave the way for talks.
He affirmed that the national government has the interests of the health care workers in focus, “Health care workers are the most important factor, without them no health care system can be able to function,” he said. He said healthcare workers have been trained in the Counties in handling the Covid-19 pandemic, with the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) recruiting 2,000 more health care workers. Laboratories have also been upgraded from 2 to the current 41, while Counties have also been granted access to PPEs from KEMSA and other suppliers.
A comprehensive medical cover has also been put in place for health workers, according to Oguna, “You can see there are lots of efforts put in by the government to improve the work environment and the welfare of our health care workers.”