The Ministry of Health has initiated talks with unions to avert a looming national strike.
Healthcare unions had threatened to rally their members to down their tools from Friday should their grievances remain unresolved.
The nurses, clinicians, dieticians and laboratory technologists had on May 15 issued a 60 days strike notice to the ministry and county governments regarding unconcluded CBAs and recognition agreements.
Health CS Susan Nakhumicha said the ministry through the PS Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muthoni is in engagement with the unions to strike a deal.
“We have an ongoing conversation with the health workers. I had a meeting with my PS Public health and professional standards and she is engaging them,” the CS said.
“Their issues of going to strike are not related to the current circumstances, they are related to the cost of living that has nothing to do with the Ministry of Health so they are being engaged by the PS hopefully they should be able to reach an agreement.”
The CS however noted that majority of healthcare workers are employed by counties and therefore called on the specific county governments to address specific issues affecting their workers.
She said that going forward, the Kenya Health Human Resource Advisory Council that was inaugurated by President William Ruto last month will be tasked with solving all issues related to the health workforce in the country.
“Last month the President inaugurated KHHRAC which is going to be the masterstroke in management of health workforce in this country so that team is already working,” the CS said.
The unions last month wrote to various stakeholders notifying them of their decision to go on strike should their grievances remain unresolved in 60 days.
In a letter seen by the Star and stamped as having been received by the Council of Governors, the unions jointly wrote to the CoG chair Anne Waiguru, CEO Mary Mwiti and CoG health committee chair Muthomi Njuki, Health CS Susan Wafula and CoG Labour committee chair Johnson Sakaja.
