Protest over doctors’ removal from payroll

KISUMU, KENYA: Medics in Kisumu are up in arms after the County government remove names of 21 doctors from the payroll over unspecified reasons.

The doctors who claim they reported on duty immediately as directed following the signing back to work agreement last month read mischief saying move is aimed at intimidating them.

The doctors in solidarity with other specialists staged peaceful demonstrations to the County Government's Chief Officer of health offices where they demanded to be told why the names were missing on the March payroll.

Dr. Gabriel Ouma, a representative of the doctors, said some doctors had received letters from the Chief Officer of Health Luci Ojwang' indicating that their salaries shall be halved.

"We view this as a ploy by the Council of Governors and County health officials to frustrate doctors who have done four months without pay," he said.

Dr. Ouma added that it was malicious to threaten to cut the doctors pay which has not even been effected as agreed before the strike was called off.

In a letter seen by The Standard addressed to all doctors, pharmacists and dentists dated March 24 by the county secretary, the county secretary said that the county government will recover the amount the doctors received in excess for month of March.

"Please be advised that the overpaid amounts will be recovered in the April 2017 payroll, "read the letter in part.

The county secretary Ojwang Lusi noted that the doctors had been erroneously paid full salaries despite a directive by the council of governors that they only receive pay from March 17.

The doctors however noted that a number of them have received payslips that did not factor in some of the clauses that were included in the return to work formula that they signed with the government to end the three month long strike.