A new conflict is brewing between health workers and the government following an intended review of some of the laws of health workers in the country.
Health workers are accusing the government through the Health Ministry of trying to impede the health profession by running the affairs of health workers.
The health workers are now threatening to cripple the normal working of the health sector.
The health workers on the frontline are drawn from the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) among other unions. They claimed that there are cartels in the health system pushing for the review of health regulations that if changed in their favour, will place the affairs of all health workers and practitioners under the full control Ministry of Health.
The health regulations that are supposed to be reviewed include the Laws on Medical Officers, Laws on Nurses section 257, Laws on Doctors section 253 among others.
According to the Health Ministry, the review on the laws is aimed at ensuring services are offered in a proper manner.
Moreover, the health workers are determined to push for the formation of national commission for health workers. They have also urged the Ministry of Health to pay their allowances as Covid-19 frontline workers, in accordance with the directive issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta.