Kenyan health workers will down their tools beginning Monday next week if the government will not have intervened by Sunday.
The Kenya Health Workers Union Society claims that the government and council of governors have neglected the welfare of health workers on the frontline of coronavirus pandemic.
Led by Kenya National Clinical Union Chairman Peterson Wachira, they claim medics are overexposed and not protected from COVID-19. They said their push to get involved in the fight against the deadly virus has fallen on deaf ears.
“At this time that the leadership are not ready to address the grievance of foot soldiers ..we have been here severally..it’s not that we have no business to attend to,” Wachira said on Thursday.
“This pandemic is an emergency but if you are not treating health workers as the forefront soldiers and you are treating them as normal people then it is a sad day, ” he added.
Additionally, the workers said no training has been offered besides being subjected to poor working conditions.
The medics want the ministry of health to recognize the burden of the current health crisis and help medics in fighting the disease.
They stated that they have no option but to stay at home given that a lack of protective equipment has left some medical workers infected.
“As the health care workers union, the strike we called is going to begin on Monday so that we can have some time and focus on things to be done.”
Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi said that they are in talks with the health workers to find a solution before Monday.
