Crisis in Kenya Health Sector
Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 5:13 am
“So far, [nurses in]13 counties are on strike and 10 more are planning to join in on Monday. They are: Murang'a, Tana River, Nakuru, Siaya, Kakamega, Narok, Makueni, Bomet and Busia.
On Tuesday and Wednesday next week, Uasin Gishu and Isiolo will respectively join the rest in downing their tools.”
https://www.nation.co.ke/news/Nurses-re ... index.html
“Nurses are on strike in 23 counties. The work boycott began on February 4. The medics are demanding the implementation of the 2017 return-to-work formula.”
https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2019/02 ... t_c1894290
There is something very wrong in Kenya’s health sector. All health professionals (nurses, doctors, clinical officers etc) need to come together and discuss the way forward.
For instance, it is said that there are unemployed doctors in Kenya. What does their union leaders propose as the solution to this problem, considering that all counties are understaffed, yet there are unemployed doctors?
Many nurses seem not to have job security. How can such an important professional work without job security? What is their union doing about this?
Have they tried lobbying politicians? What about their leaders appearing in the media to highlight their issues so Kenyans understand what is going on in the health sector?
Whether we like it or not, politicians will need to be involved to solve the crisis in Kenya’s health sector.
If medical professionals in Kenya don’t join hands, and propose a pragmatic way forward, they will continue complaining, striking every month, and eventually, they will lose the support of Kenyans.
Unfortunately, if it comes to this, everyone will lose.
About Salaries in Kenya Public Sector, including teachers, doctors, engineers, nurses etc:
Strikes over salaries in Kenya will never end until an equitable salary plan is agreed, drafted into law, and implemented across the board. And when it comes to salary increase, it would be done across the board for all government workers including secretaries, doctors, drivers, teachers etc(by law).
That would end salary-related strikes for good(unless all govt workers decide to strike!).
Another problem is the abnormal discrepancies between payment scales in various grades. For instance, a person might be earning a gross monthly income of KES 50K in grade X. While the person in the immediate next grade Y earns KES 70K gross.
Result: Instead of concentrating on work, everyone is studying some useless course so they can move up to the next grade.
On Tuesday and Wednesday next week, Uasin Gishu and Isiolo will respectively join the rest in downing their tools.”
https://www.nation.co.ke/news/Nurses-re ... index.html
“Nurses are on strike in 23 counties. The work boycott began on February 4. The medics are demanding the implementation of the 2017 return-to-work formula.”
https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2019/02 ... t_c1894290
There is something very wrong in Kenya’s health sector. All health professionals (nurses, doctors, clinical officers etc) need to come together and discuss the way forward.
For instance, it is said that there are unemployed doctors in Kenya. What does their union leaders propose as the solution to this problem, considering that all counties are understaffed, yet there are unemployed doctors?
Many nurses seem not to have job security. How can such an important professional work without job security? What is their union doing about this?
Have they tried lobbying politicians? What about their leaders appearing in the media to highlight their issues so Kenyans understand what is going on in the health sector?
Whether we like it or not, politicians will need to be involved to solve the crisis in Kenya’s health sector.
If medical professionals in Kenya don’t join hands, and propose a pragmatic way forward, they will continue complaining, striking every month, and eventually, they will lose the support of Kenyans.
Unfortunately, if it comes to this, everyone will lose.
About Salaries in Kenya Public Sector, including teachers, doctors, engineers, nurses etc:
Strikes over salaries in Kenya will never end until an equitable salary plan is agreed, drafted into law, and implemented across the board. And when it comes to salary increase, it would be done across the board for all government workers including secretaries, doctors, drivers, teachers etc(by law).
That would end salary-related strikes for good(unless all govt workers decide to strike!).
Another problem is the abnormal discrepancies between payment scales in various grades. For instance, a person might be earning a gross monthly income of KES 50K in grade X. While the person in the immediate next grade Y earns KES 70K gross.
Result: Instead of concentrating on work, everyone is studying some useless course so they can move up to the next grade.