Clinical officers will begin their planned strike on Sunday unless all their demands are addressed, their union has said.
Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) chief executive George Gibore has said the government had done little to address their demands and prevent the strike.
This development follows the death of nine clinical officers with Covid-19. The most recent casualty was Victor Kipngetich from Nandi county, who died on Wednesday.
Some 763 clinical officers have also been infected with the virus. There are 37 active clinician Covid-19 cases.
On November 23, the clinicians gave the government 14 days to provide them with Personal Protective Equipment and a medical cover, or else they would withdraw their services
The strike notice was issued by KUCO a week after the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union issued a nationwide strike notice to begin on December 6.
The doctors will go on strike on Monday after they reject attempts by the Senate Health Committee to buy more time for mediation.
On Friday, the clinical officers heightened their demand for standard PPE in all hospitals.
Labour CS Simon Chelugui had on Thursday told health workers to suspend the strike. But the union said the government has shown no intention to avert the looming health crisis.
"It is our feeling that our sacrifice to serve in a hazardous environment is not being acknowledged and appreciated. They now want to arm-twist and force us to commit suicide while in the line of duty under the guise of patriotism," Gibore said.
“We wish to remind him that this is a matter of life and death. They are asking us to accept that we continue dying as they continue the rhetoric they have used since the onset of the pandemic,” he said
The union called on the government to allow healthcare providers in vulnerable groups to work from home.
They also want health risk allowance to be harmonized and increased to cushion them from financial constraints.
Another 3,000 clinicians should be hired on a permanent and pensionable basis.
"Once infected and hospitalized, Clinical officers have suffered financially without any support from the government," they said.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris