Newly promoted doctors in Kisumu have reasons to smile after the County Government allocated Sh250 million to settle their salary arrears.
The new development came after the doctors announced a strike starting Saturday midnight.
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Nyanza branch had served the county government with a strike notice before the medics took action.
The doctors lamented that they had been denied what rightfully belongs to them.
The medics had started withdrawing their services from different health facilities after the county failed to find a solution to the stalemate.
The doctors had faulted Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o-led administration’s over the failure to agree on a return to work formula.
“The staled promotion for doctors has denied doctors in earnings of Sh208 million, these are statistics with the county government,” indicated KMPDU Nyanza Chairperson Dr Kevin Osuri, as quoted by Capital FM.
Health CEC Nerry Acha, who spoke to journalists at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, confirmed that payment will be effected on September 30 but the promotions will be taken into account from July 1.
Acha also revealed that the county government was ready to refund the doctors amount they had spent on medical bills after the lapse in NHIF.
The move is a reprieve to patients in various health facilities across the county.