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{
    "id": 1401103,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1401103/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 264,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Nakhumicha",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Health",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 520,
        "legal_name": "Reginalda Nakhumicha Wanyonyi",
        "slug": "reginalda-nakhumicha-wanyonyi"
    },
    "content": "The negotiation reconciliations seek to comprehensively address all grievances leading to the strike. As part of its mandate, the whole nation committee has reviewed all the 19 issues raised in the notice of industrial action and classified them into priority areas. Six of the issues raised were classified to relate to the national Government, while nine of the issues were classified to relate to the county government. Four issues fell under concurrent mandates of both the two levels of Government. As that process was ongoing, the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers on 25th March, 2024 issued a strike notice citing 10 demands. The Ministry went ahead to have a meeting with the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) to forestall the strike. Of the 10 demands from the KUCO, they narrowed down to two main demands. This is the failure of both levels of Government to obey a court order that directed the Government to finalize a CBA with the KUCO and register the CBA in court. The second main demand was a failure to enhance the risk allowance paid to clinical officers. The Union wants the risk allowance to be increased from the current Kshs3,000 to Kshs15,000 per month. This will apply to all the clinical officers within the country. I would like to clarify that of the 14,000 clinical officers in the country, only 158 are in the purview of the national Government. In the same breath, on the 26th March, 2024, the Kenya Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KUMLO) issued a strike notice citing failure by the Government to formulate and sign a recognition agreement with the union. The second issue is a failure by the Government to confirm permanent and pensionable all Universal Health Care (UHC) staff, COVID-19 employees, UHC interns and National Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Programme (NTLD-P) fund employees. The other demands that were raised were all discussed by the Ministry of Health in a meeting with them. The industrial action has had a significant impact on healthcare services. This has resulted in unavailability and delay in health service delivery amongst the Kenyans. It has compromised the quality of care and equally disrupted the referral system. This impact has the potential to contribute to catastrophic health expenditures and adverse health outcomes for the population. Ultimately, the country stands to lose gains made in key health indicators including maternal health, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), TB, malaria and Non- Communicable Diseases (NCDs). From our checks, referral facilities and specialized outpatient services are significantly affected at 33 per cent and 25 per cent reduction in specialist and outpatient services. So, what has the Ministry done in terms of the crisis? I confirm that the Ministry has categorized the crisis into three issues; short-term measures, which we are working on; medium-term measures and long-term measures. In the short-term measures, the Ministry has already posted interns in line with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) advisory. A total of 1,270 diploma clinical officer interns have already been posted and reported. Posting letters for 1,210 medical officers, pharmacists and dental officer interns have been sent to respective interns and their names have been published in the newspaper to inform them of their places of posting. It is expected that they start reporting from 15th March, 2024. The posting letters of the next The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}