Striking Health Workers, not in Kakamega hospitals are fired -Governor Wycliffe Oparanya

 

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya. FILE

Kakamega Striking nurses and clinical officers have just some hours before losing their jobs if they do not resume work, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya advise.


Governor Oparanya directs the striking health workers to go back to work or dismissed. The County Government has fully addressed their demands made by the two Unions.

On Wednesday, the Kakamega County linked onto an injunction against the strike issued by the Employment and Labour Relations Court judge, Justice Nzioki Wa Makau, on December 28, directing the Medics back to their work stations.


Justice Makau directed Kenya Union of Nurses (KNUN) and Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) to stop their strike, back to the health facilities in Kakamega County as they wait for the hearing of a suit filed by the county government.


“On the strength of the court verdict, I order all striking medical workers to go back to work. Any worker who will not report to his or her station by tomorrow (Thursday) 8.00 am-10.00 am shall be immediately fired and replaced,” said Oparanya.


The governor alleged that his government had addressed five thematic areas like personal protective equipment to health staff, staff recruitment on permanent and pensionable terms, promotion of health workers, training of medics and contracted the National Health Insurance (NHIF) to provide medical cover.

Governor Oparanya said Kakamega County was not spared by the suffering caused by the ongoing nationwide strike but exempted county administrations from blame, arguing some of the demands on health policy and can only be resolved by the national government.


“As I have said before, some of the demands made by the striking workers are supposed to be met by the National Government and not county governments,” Oparanya said.