Ongoing Strike by Clinical Officers and Lab Technicians Leaves Patients Stranded

In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…

• Despite doctors’ return, health services in public hospitals remain disrupted as clinical officers and medical laboratory officers continue their strike.
• Grievances include demands for permanent employment, hiring additional staff, fair compensation, and equitable treatment, with unions warning of prolonged industrial action until addressed by authorities.

Despite the return of doctors to public hospitals, health services are far from normalized as clinical officers and medical laboratory officers remain on strike, leaving patients stranded at level two and level one facilities on Thursday.

Unions representing these health workers warn of sustained industrial action until the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors address their grievances. 

Medical laboratory officers, striking for over 30 days, criticize the government for failing to establish a recognition agreement despite meeting requirements. 

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They demand permanent and pensionable terms for all union employees and the hiring of 1,000 additional lab officers to alleviate departmental shortages.

Nicholas Odipo, Chair of the Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUMLO), voices concerns over inaccurate HIV test results due to employing underqualified staff at VCT centers. 

Pius Nyakundi, the union’s Secretary General, announces plans to withdraw services from national health institutions if grievances remain unaddressed.

Lab officers accuse county governments of hiring members for meager salaries as low as Ksh.15,000, lamenting the fruitlessness of efforts to engage the ministry. 

Clinical officers highlight issues including medical insurance coverage, risk allowance, and fair promotion. 

They call for the hiring of 20,000 unemployed and qualified clinical officers to address staffing shortages.

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Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) Secretary General George Gibore emphasizes the strike’s purpose to ensure equitable treatment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) workers, denouncing punitive terms imposed by counties. 

With clinical officers striking for 39 days and medical laboratory officers marking their 30th day, the standoff continues as health services remain disrupted.