Tana River clinical officers suspend 3 week strike after deal

Services have resumed in public health facilities after clinical officers suspended their three-week strike and agreed on a return-to-work deal with the county government.

There was relief at Hola Referral Hospital as the medics attended to patients who had been left on their own following the strike, which paralysed services at three health centres.

Yesterday, Health Executive Mwanajuma Hirbae and medics led by union secretary Reinhard Myeuko, held a closed-door meeting in Hola Township, where they agreed that health workers return to work as the county government addressed their grievances.

They also agreed that no worker would be victimised and that the county withdraws their show-cause letters.

“The department shall not resort to arbitrary transfers and discriminatory assignments of duties to respective officers, and further commits to withdraw all show-cause letters and written punishment, including lost salaries or any allowances,” read a statement signed by the Health executive and County Secretary Joshua Jara.

All grievances

The two had agreed that all grievances be met once they return to work.

"Yes, we have decided to go back to work because we have seen that nobody was responding to our plight. We decided to return to work on humanitarian grounds, but not that we are cowards," Mr Jara told The Standard.

Ms Mwanajuma said they had agreed unanimously that the issue of promotion be looked into.

Three weeks ago, 90 clinical officers from around the county went on strike demanding salary increment after some went for further studies and acquired various awards but got no promotion or pay hike.

On Monday, civil society groups had threatened to join the strike if the county government would not listen to the plight of the workers.