Health workers told to return to work in Kenya

NAIROBI - The Kenyan government on Tuesday ordered striking health workers to resume work immediately and warned that those who fail to heed the directive will be sacked.

Medical Services Minister Professor Anyang Nyong'o said the health workers who will not have reported on duty without permission by 2:00 pm (1100 GMT) on Tuesday will be deemed to have deserted duty and will be summarily dismissed without further reference to them.

"Immediate recruitment to replace the dismissed workers will commence forthwith in all our health facilities," the minister warned in Nairobi and declared the six-day strike by nurses and clinical officers illegal.

Nyong'o said the government was particularly concerned with the harassment, intimidation and forceful removal of health workers from their places of work and patients from the health facilities by persons who clearly have no respect for the law.

"From today henceforth, the government will take serious action against any health worker, or any other person, who willfully interferes with work in public health facilities in any form, and commits or causes to be committed acts of indiscipline and lawlessness in those facilities," he warned.

The nurses, whose services are critical in running of health facilities, went on strike on March 1 paralyzing activities in all government hospitals across the East African nation.

The industrial action comes barely two months after government doctors in Kenya went on strike to push for a salary hike.

The health workers are also fighting for improved working conditions and a 300 percent salary increase, which they claim has not been implemented by the government despite an existing deal signed in December 2011.

Nyong'o said the ministry of internal security has been contacted to provide maximum security for those who will report back to work and those recruited.

"We urge all health workers who have had to stay away from their places of work to resume their normal duties immediately. We would like to assure the public that the government is doing everything possible to ensure continuity of services in all our public health facilities," he said.

The nurses and other health workers on Monday defied a return- to-work deal struck the previous night by their union representatives and the government.  

The nurses, who accused their union representatives of letting them down, said all the issues they had raised had been ignored and nothing tangible was offered in the deal.

The health weeks in government facilities downed their tools expressing dissatisfaction due to disparities in payment of some of their allowances.

On Sunday, the minister held an informal meeting with representatives of the Kenya Health Professionals Society and the Union of Kenya Civil Servants and agreed that the strike be called off unconditionally with immediate effect.

However, the health workers refused to return to work despite the striking having been declared illegal by the Industrial Court.

"This was because substantial progress had already been made in resolving the issue at stake and each party to the dispute was required to maintain law and order while pending issues were amicably addressed through the Court," Nyong'o said.

The minister said following the informal meeting on Sunday, a joint consultative team between the government, the Union and the Society was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to iron out any differences with a view to accurately advising the Industrial Court and facilitating smooth industrial relations.

He emphasized that the grievances relating to disparities in allowances raised by the KHPS have already been addressed and harmonized.

"Implementation, however, will spill over into the next Financial Year, beginning July 2012. The issue of salaries and other terms and conditions of service, indeed as it applies to all workers in the Public Service, will be addressed with appropriate advice from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission," he said.  

The minister also assured all health workers that the government is taking all necessary measures to provide the best remuneration possible with appropriate advice from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.

He said the Industrial Court has also issued an order restraining the Kenya Health Professionals Society from commencing or continuing with the intended strike for the next 14 days pending the hearing and determination of the application inter partes.

The hearing of the case is scheduled to take place on March 13 before Justice Stewart Madzayo.

The latest strike comes two months after the country's medical doctors' strike hit Kenya hard in December when as sick and their relatives turned to private and faith-based hospitals in search for healthcare.