Medical union and associations have delivered a 7-day strike notice over delayed payment of medics’ salaries in almost 40 counties.
The Kenya healthcare union have suggested that the government establishes a mechanism where medics will be paid from a central point.
“It should worry Kenyans of goodwill that over forty counties have neither paid health workers salary nor remitted statutory deductions, Counties that shall not have paid should not expect health workers to report on duty” the union noted in a statement.
According to the health union, it has been 10 years since the health function was devolved yet no proper framework has been established to ensure healthcare services function efficiently and effectively.
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“We have had numerous blame games between national and county governments concerning finances, drug and equipment acquisition, and employment of healthcare workers which have led to the detriment of the healthcare service delivery,” the statement reads in part.
The statement also highlighted that civil servants have also not received their salaries amid the current economic crisis in the country
Moreover, the concerns come just after President William Ruto stated that the government will not get onto debts to pay public servants wages. The head of state said the situation is under control.
President Ruto indicated that the government will source for its own funds through taxes and other means.
“I know we have an issue of delayed salaries, it is the first time this has happened but also it is the first time we are having such monumental debts. We are not borrowing money for recurrent expenditure including salaries” he said while speaking during the launch of the release of the report on evaluation of performance of ministries, state corporations and tertiary institutions.