The Council of Governors has urged clinical officers to call off their strike that began on January 20th at 12:00 A.M., following significant progress in addressing key concerns raised by the health workers. This comes after a series of discussions with the Ministry of Health, the Social Health Authority (SHA), and officials from the Clinical Officers Council.
At a press conference following the meeting with Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Harry Kimutai, and SHA representatives, the governors highlighted the positive strides made in resolving the issues that had led to the industrial action.
One of the major concerns raised by clinical officers was the empanelment of health facilities under the Clinical Officers Council, instead of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC), which primarily oversees doctors.
Clinical officers had expressed dissatisfaction with the current arrangement, asserting that it did not address their professional needs. However, the recent discussions have led to an understanding that will allow clinical officers to be more directly involved in the governance of health facilities they operate, with a clearer role in decision-making processes.
Another significant issue was the authority to pre-authorize medical procedures. Under the new SHA regulations, the right to grant pre-authorization had been placed solely under the domain of doctors. Clinical officers had raised concerns that this restriction was limiting their ability to fully perform their duties, especially in the management of level 1, 2, and 3 facilities, which are often run by clinical officers. After further discussions, it was agreed that clinical officers would be granted the necessary authorization to perform certain tasks that were traditionally under the purview of doctors, especially in settings where they are the primary caregivers.
Health Committee Chairperson, Governor Muthomi Njuki, emphasized the importance of accountability in the health system, stating that anyone with the rights to pre-authorize medical procedures should bear the responsibility of that decision. “The person whose name appears in the digital health superhighway should carry the burden of accountability for those decisions,” Governor Njuki remarked.
The governors have now called for the clinical officers to resume their duties, pointing out that significant progress has been made and that the resolved issues will improve their working conditions. The Council emphasized that both clinical officers and the Ministry of Health are committed to a collaborative approach to address any outstanding concerns moving forward.
