March 19, 2024

Civil Societies Want Medics Grievances Resolved Immediately

A section of Doctors in Kenya demonstrating (Photo/Courtesy)

BY MWAKWAYA RAYMOND 

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com 

Civil society groups in the Coast Region have resolved not to sit back and watch as the country plunges into anarchy due to the ongoing medics’ strike. 

Leadership of the Coast Civil Society Reference Group Network have sent an early warning to both the national and county governments to resolve the settle mate and get doctors to resume their duties or file legal redress. 

Led by the network chairman Zedekiah Adika claimed the county government has hailed to remit statutory deductions in time hence demoralizing medics who fail to access insurance cover especially these times of Covid 19. 

“Medics who risk their lives for being in the frontline in the fight against Covid 19 pandemic should be given first priority, he said. 

Zedikiah Adika Chairman Coast Civil Society Reference Group Network (Photo By Mwakwaya Raymond)

Here in Mombasa nurses have been on a go-slow for the last three weeks demanding remittance of four months statutory deductions by the county government that has not been remitted despite being deducted from their pay slips. 

ADAMANT 

Kenya National Union of Nurses KNUN Mombasa county secretary general Peter Maroko said the Mombasa county government has remained adamant despite presenting their plight. 

“We will continue to go slow until the monies deducted from our pay slips are remitted to the necessary institutions,” said Maroko on December 7, 2020. 

A spot-check by The Coast Media Group only saw a handful of nurses on contract basis being assigned duties across the board to mitigate the situation that has forced patients to opt for Private hospitals for treatment. 

Patients who addressed the media decried slow delivery of services across the county hospitals. 

The health care workers have raised concerns on the unremitted statutory deductions thus NHIF, NSSF, delayed payment of salaries, infections to health care workers resulting from lack of structures to prudently mitigate the contraction and spread of Covid19 within medical facilities and loans. 

“It is very disturbing to mention that some of these officers have landed in the CRB list. There is also a grave concern on overstretched resources (especially human resources) of referral hospitals that are also designated as Covid19 treatment centres,” said Adika. 

Francis Ouma(Right) MUHURU rapid response officer (Photo By Mwakwaya Raymond)

“The government is not serious about the issues of nurses in Mombasa; we shall institute legal measures against the County if it fails to resolve the issues as soon as possible. They have genuine concerns which should be addressed,” said Francis Ouma MUHURU rapid response officer. 

A survey at the Coast General and Referral hospital established that normal operations were ongoing at the facility but at a slow pace. 

One of the patients who sought anonymity admitted at the Coast general hospital, told reporters that all was well and that there were no hitches as was perceived. The outpatient and emergency operations were going on very well. 

Residents going to seek medical services at coast general hospital (Photo/ Courtesy)

Another patient Jani Mohamed he had taken an X-Ray after a road accident that saw his two feet fractured, “I have been treated, no crisis,” Mohamed said. 

At the same time the organizations have reiterated the need by the county government to provide high quality masks, to ensure full protection of medics in line of their work. 

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