Thousands of health workers on Sunday agreed to suspend a strike notice that was to start Monday after reaching a deal with the government.
“We agreed to come up with a framework on how we are going to work together, and the officials agreed that by the end of this week, they will have promoted all the health workers who are working under the national government,” said Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary-General Seth Panyako.
“It is very unfortunate that the government only listens to us after we serve them with a strike notice, but since we cannot negotiate when the strike is on, we are giving them a period of 21 days to give us what is rightfully ours,” said Kenya Union of Clinical Officers Secretary-General George Gibore.
However, the government said only county governments can handle issues of promotion, welfare and insurance package for healthcare workers.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattani, in a letter to Salaries and Remuneration Commission Chairperson Lyn Mengich, told the county governments to reorganise their budgets to raise Sh2.356 billion required to implement the welfare and insurance package.
