Teachers threaten to strike over hospital debt

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Bomet branch has warned the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and insurer AON Minet that they are going to strike in the next 14 days over unpaid teachers’ medical bill worth Sh. 3.6 million at Tenwek hospital.

While talking to journalists at Bomet town on Tuesday, Bomet KNUT branch Executive Secretary Mr. Malel Lang’at said the insurer and TSC had placed teachers on a precarious situation, yet medical deductions had been made on teachers pay towards a medical cover that allows the teachers to receive medical attention, at all medical centres that were in partnership with AON to provide the service to the teachers and their families.

Teachers from Nyamira, Narok, Bomet, Kisii and Kericho have been affected by the refusal of Tenwek hospital to attend to them from Monday 6th June 2016. According to a circular by the hospital’s financial controller Mr. John Sang’, who said that they have not been paid a single cent by the insurer since it took over the cover of teachers on 6th June 2015 and one year contract of the same ended yesterday. Mr. Malel said that the situation witnessed was as a result of the contract ending on Monday.

However, Mr. Lang’at said that teachers had a right to be given service that they had paid for and should not be mistreated.

“It is unethical for a teacher to go to a hospital and be returned without treatment and has to raise other funds to be treated.” He said.

On Monday 6th June 2016, Mr. John Sang’ Tenwek hospital released an internal memo that the hospital will not continue treating teachers because AON Minet had not paid the hospital for the past one year that teachers under the scheme had been treated under the scheme at the facility.

“Teachers seeking treatment from Monday 6th June could not be attended unless they were willing to raise alternative payment for the service.” Mr. Malel said.

He added that the union was giving the insurer and TSC 14 days from Tuesday 7th June 2016 to sort out the stalemate or face an action they were going to deliberate on as teachers.

“We need TSC and AON to honour their deal and pay for teachers medical cover and pay the dues the owe Tenwek hospital accruing for medical bills this year.” He remarked.

He added, “We are going to hold consultations with AON and TSC to find a solution to the debt matter at Tenwek Hospital.”

The official urged the teachers in the region to be patient as Knut officials engage with the two bodies in consultations in order to solve the impasse in the shortest time possible, and bring back the medical services they have been enjoying through the scheme.