Stop frequent meetings and work, Meru health union officials told
Meru Health Services Chief Officer James Kirimi (left) who has threatened to take action against officials of health workers’ unions whom he said frequently skip duty to attend meetings.
Meru Health Services Chief Officer James Kirimi has threatened to take action against officials of health workers’ unions whom he said frequently skip duty in order to attend meetings in Meru town.
“They cannot know that there are drugs in hospitals because they keep loitering in town in the name of attending meetings. I am putting them on notice. If you are a union official and county staff, you must be at your work station. If you do not go to work, there will be consequences,” Dr Kirimi warned.
Doctors, nurses, clinical officers, pharmacists and laboratory technologists’ unions have been at loggerheads with the county executive for what they say is failure to effect promotions, pay salaries on time and remit statutory deductions.
But Meru Deputy Governor Titus Ntuchiu, who is also the Finance executive, and Health Executive Misheck Mutuma, dismissed the complaints by the unions, saying the county has met part of its bargain.
Mr Mutuma accused the union leaders of spreading propaganda and lies against the county government.
Late disbursements
According to the deputy governor, the county had paid all salaries apart for the month of July, which has been delayed due to late disbursements from the exchequer.
“We just got approval to access money from the consolidated fund and we expect to pay July and August salaries this week. We also released Sh51 million for payment of casual workers attached to hospitals across the county. The delay in disbursement of funds is a problem cutting across the counties,” Mr Ntuchiu said.
He added that some health workers who were found to have absconded duty after being ordered by the courts to resume work were not paid their January, February and March salaries.
“This matter is still in court because they appealed the decision. Those who were not paid disobeyed a court order,” he said.
On the claim that the county had failed to effect promotions, Mr Ntuchiu said common cadre promotions were done and those affected will be paid their July arrears this month.
Failed interviews
The deputy governor accused some of the union officials, who failed non-common cadre promotion interviews, of spearheading strike calls.
“We have also effected 489 non-common cadre promotions and these workers will be paid their arrears this month,” he said.
Mr Ntuchiu said the Health department had also advertised for several positions including those of medical officers, pharmacists, specialists, and critical care nurses to address shortage of staff.
Earlier, the union official said there was a massive flight of specialists in search of greener pastures due to a bad working environment.
Kenya National Union of Nurses Meru branch chairman Mugambi Bakari said health workers are impoverished due to delayed pay and non-payment of statutory deductions.
In July, the unions said the county had failed to fulfil an agreement to promote health workers and pay their salaries and statutory deductions on time, leading to low morale among the workers.
