Clinical Officers’ Strike Threatens to Halt Services at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital
We will not resume work until the national government addresses all our long-overdue grievances,” stated Wamalwa.
Services at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret are on the verge of ceasing operations as over 150 clinical officers have joined their striking counterparts from county government-run public health facilities in the North Rift region.
These clinical officers have fulfilled their threat to strike by remaining absent from their workstations until their grievances are addressed by the national government.
According to Xavier Wamalwa, Secretary General of the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) MTRH chapter, the clinical officers have presented several demands that they insist the national government must meet before they return to work.
Among their primary demands are the permanent and pensionable employment of UHC staff hired during the COVID-19 period and the provision of comprehensive medical coverage for clinical officers, allowing them to access services at hospitals of their choice.
“We will not resume work until the national government addresses all our long-overdue grievances,” stated Wamalwa.
Wamalwa made these remarks during a peaceful protest in Eldoret town, which included clinical officers from both county and national governments and was led by KUCO national chairman, Peterson Wachira.
The protesters, carrying placards and branches, marched to the office of Uasin Gishu County Governor Jonathan Bii to deliver their petition.
Addressing the striking clinicians outside the governor’s office, Wachira called on both regional and national governments to employ 20,000 unemployed clinical officers to mitigate the acute staff shortage in public hospitals across the country.
“It is unfortunate that the county and national governments have not prioritized addressing the critical issues affecting clinical officers,” stated Wachira.
Wachira emphasized that achieving universal health coverage (UHC) is impossible without the support of clinical officers, who are crucial to the program’s implementation.
He also condemned various public service boards for their threats and intimidation directed at clinical officers participating in the industrial action, aimed at coercing them to resume work.
While addressing the striking clinical officers, Chief Officer for Health Paul Wangwe assured them that no staff members would face repercussions for participating in the strike, emphasizing their right to picket.
Wangwe informed the striking clinicians that the devolved unit is in the process of hiring additional staff to address the workforce shortage in county-run health facilities.
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