Health Workers in Kisumu demand risk allowance as Corona virus cause fear
By Dickson Odhiambo
April 11, 2020
Health Workers in
Kisumu demand risk allowance as Corona virus cause fear
VARIOUS Health workers within Kisumu County now demand risk
allowance as the issue of corona virus pandemi ccause more fear.
The health workers comprised of Nurses and clinical Officers
say they are really risking their lives while dealing with patients especially
this time when there is corona virus pandemic which has shaken the whole world
and a number of people have died as a result of the disease.
Addressing the press in Kisumu today, the Kenya National
Union of Nurses Kisumu Branch Secretary Maurice Opetu and Chairperson of the
Kenya Union of Clinical Officers Kisumu branch Vincent Owaa said they are very
much ready to serve the country and have sacrificed enough.
Opetu says they cannot serve Kenyans without being
protected, appreciated and motivated.
He says they are not demanding to be appreciated but God
will appreciate and pay them well, adding that but for them to get the energy,
morale and for their families to be happy, they must be given incentives.
“We wonder why some senior Government officials in Kenya
here keeps on fighting the health workers who are their soldiers unlike in
other countries like Zambia where the welfare of the health workers are well
taken care of,” Opetu says.
Opetu says in a country like Zambia, Health workers have
been given a boost of more 50 percent salary increment, risk allowances and
life insurances.
“If this is not the time for the Government to invest on its
health workers and motivate while encouraging them. When will the Government do
this for its health workers in Kenya?” Opetu adds.
Opetu says the health workers across the nation will do what
they can so as to serve the nation as per their oath and call.
“We are saying enough is enough. We shall adhere to our call
and the oath but will shall not commit suicide. The bottom line is give us
sufficient PPE, incentives and life insurance,” he further adds.
On his part, Owaa said the County Government of Kisumu
should fully implement the issue of promotions and designations of the health
workers as was agreed on before they resumed their duties after calling off
their strike.
He says the deadline of April 30 this year is fast
approaching and their employer is not committed to do the implementation as
agreed even before the court.
“As Union officials we will not just sit down and allow
people to play around with us. We would want to see that when we have the pay
slips for this month by April 15, then we will call on our members to come out
for an industrial action,” Owaa says.
He says there is great need to provide all the health
workers with PPEs by the County Government of Kisumu, adding this is an issue
especially at this time when there is an outbreak for the corona virus in the
country.
“By providing the PPEs to all health workers in, we will be
able to work effectively without fearing getting infections,” Owaa adds.
Owaa further says there is need to have continuous training
of health workers on the management Covid-19, adding that the trainings
conducted so far are not satisfactory.
ENDS:
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Professor Nyongo must act with speed
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