Health services paralyzed in Baringo after County failed to pay allowance

 

Health services have been paralysed after workers started a go-slow, claiming that the county had not paid their service allowances.

The staff, including clinical officers, nurses, and nutritionists, are only handling emergency cases.

They accused the county government of failing to implement the agreement with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, the Council of Governors, and the Ministry of Health that was signed in February.

Speaking to The Standard, the Kenya Professional Health Society (KPHS) Secretary-General Philip Yator claimed that the National Treasury had released money in February to pay the allowances.

Mr Yator said the employees were to receive the allowances, backdated to January, with clinical officers receiving Sh66,000 while other cadres were to receive a total of Sh36,000.

Under the agreement, money was to be paid in two phases. Clinical officers and nurses were to receive Sh12,000 health allowance and Sh10,000 for emergency call.

"The county has been promising to pay us the allowances, a promise that has not been honoured. We demand the money to enable us to run services smoothly," said Yator.

However, Acting County Chief Officer Richard Koech dismissed the demands, saying all allowances had been remitted to employees' respective accounts.

Mr Koech said there had been a delay because of a hitch in the IFMIS system.

"The county has paid health service allowances to all employees and they should be serving patients," he said.