Health services in some counties have been paralysed by the strikes by medical officers.
The situation has attracted many reactions, with the Central Organisation of Trade Unions calling upon the national government to take over the health sector.
But the question that remains unanswered is whether centralising health will offer a lasting solution to frequent strikes by health workers. Anybody proposing such a move should assure all Kenyans that the national government has the ability to mitigate this menace.
It should be noted that education has also been affected by frequent strikes by teachers.
This week, teachers are bracing to down their tools as the Government, through the Teachers Service Commission, has failed to honour the salary increment of 50 to 60 per cent awarded by the Industrial Court. The Government has been faced by a myriad of challenges in the education sector, which is not devolved and taking back health docket from counties won’t therefore be any better.
It should be noted that some counties have tried to manage health effectively.
Nairobi County recently employed 437 health officers who will be distributed to various hospitals and health centres in the city. This is an indication that the health docket can be effectively managed by the county governments.
Although most counties have expressed willingness to offer health services, some governors have no idea about health management. They have resorted to Machiavellian ways of handling health officers participating in strikes.
Nyeri County has threatened to sack over 5,000 health workers over the ongoing strike. It should be noted that those health workers work in harsh environments while trying to survive on meagre salaries; hence they have a right to ask for their dues.
Therefore, as we argue over the ability of county governments to manage health, we should also ask whether the national government will be able to handle the docket if it is reverted.