Nakuru County executive member of health Kabii Mungai has asked health workers to be patient as the county was ready to address their issues.
Mungai said the county had already paid the health workers their leave allowances and was addressing their other concerns they had fielded to the county administration.
“The health workers’ issues are being addressed, l appeal to the them to continue performing their duties as we solve other issues. We have already paid their leave allowances,” said Mungai.
He said the county government is keen on ensuring that health workers’ welfare is catered for to avert a crisis in the sector, adding that the county was committed to laying down strategies to streamline the health sector.
The health workers have been engaging in a go-slow after the county delayed paying them leave allowances, besides failing to honour a pledge to absorb 200 health workers employed under the Economic Stimulus programme in 2011 as permanent employees.
Through their South Rift Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union Secretary Dr Samuel Oroko, they threatened to down their tools urging the county to be honest with their promises.
Dr Oroko lamented that the county is yet to absorb the health workers five months after they gave the promise.
He further noted that absorbing the contracted health workers should be effected to strengthen the health sector in the county.
“We shall not sit back and watch the health sector collapsing, we want to see health care workers serving the public. But for their services to be effective, the county government must give relevant support,” he said.