Cuban doctors walk into medics' strike over 2-month unpaid salaries

Cuban doctors arrived in Nyamira County yesterday to find healthcare services grounded.

This follows a strike by staff over delayed salaries.

The county received a cardiologist and a family doctor who will be working from the Nyamira County referral hospital.

County chief officer for health, Dr Jack Magara, said the doctors were undergoing orientation even as regular medical staff stayed away from duty.

Health services in the county have been grounded for about a week following the strike by health workers demanding their May and June salaries.

Yesterday, Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni expressed concern over the delay of the salaries and appealed to the Deputy Governor Amos Nyaribo, who is sitting in for Governor John Nyagarama who is away in the US for health reasons, to hasten the processes of paying staff.

“It is pitiable that workers have not been paid for the last two months, and now going to the third month. Why does this happen when we have a very active government in place?” he said.

The deputy governor had earlier accused the county assembly of failing to pass a supplementary budget that had factored in employees' salaries.

In Siaya, one of the two Cuban specialist doctors - a family medicine specialist assigned to the area, arrived at the Siaya County referral hospital on Tuesday.

County health chief officer Omondi Owino said it was the first time the county was receiving a specialist in family medicine.

He said the county planned to hire interpreters to work with the Cuban doctors.

In Kilifi, two Cuban doctors were yesterday introduced to Deputy Governor Edmond Saburi, County Commissioner Magu Mutindika and the County Secretary Arnold Mkare.

The two, a family doctor and a urologist, will be stationed at Malindi sub-county hospital and Bamba respectively.

[Stanley Ongwae, Isaiah Gwengi, and Maureen Ongala]