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Striking health workers risk losing their jobs if they do not resume work today.
Governor Sospeter Ojaamong’ (pictured) yesterday said there were no grounds for the workers to continue being on strike while all their demands had been addressed.
“Their main concern was on promotions and that is being worked out, and whoever is deemed fit for the promotion will be promoted and paid salary arrears. Their job is a calling, which doesn’t warrant exposing the lives of innocent patients to danger,” he said.
The governor said he was not out to sack anyone but if need be, he would not hesitate to do so so as to avoid more suffering among patients.
“We will bring people to fill their positions if they decide to stay home on Monday (today). They will have sacked themselves,” he said adding that his county was among those with good management of the health sector.
Last week, three patients at Busia County Referral Hospital died for lack of attention from health workers.
Acting Health Executive Martin Kafwa confirmed the deaths and said they resulted from delayed treatment.
“We tried to our level best to address pertinent issues affecting health workers in the county through their union representatives but they let us down on what we had agreed on. It’s unfortunate that lives have been lost,” said Mr Kafwa, adding that the workers’ insubordination amounted to sabotage due to the stringent measures put in place to revamp the sector.
Accompanied by the Director of Health Melisa Lutomia and the acting Chief Officer, Asoka Itur, Kafwa said there was massive stealing of drugs by some heath workers,
“We are currently following up to establish how drugs in health facilities across the county have gone missing despite the increased budget for the purchase of drugs from Sh100 million to Sh350 million this financial year,” said Dr Lutomia.
Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) Busia Branch Chairman Isaiah Omondi, dismissed claims of sabotage, blaming the county for orchestrating its own failure.
“Many health workers have not been promoted for a long period, we will not resume duty if 200 health workers are not absorbed,” he said.
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