Meru: Now go back to work, health workers told

By Dennis Dibondo

Meru County Secretary Kiambi Atheru urges health workers to end their 33-day strike, promising the issues raised will be fully addressed.

The health worker downed their tools on 1st August, paralysing health provisions in over 200 health facilities across the county.

Their main issue being promotion of common and non common cadres.

Led Nesbit Mugendi of Kenya National Union of Nurses(KNUN) had threatened, saying without promotion letters, they were not going back to work.

"Most of us have worked for more than 15 years and we are almost going to retire yet we have not yet been promoted," he said.

Mugendi said they want the 17th November 2023 agreement implemented.

Mugendi said many infrastructural projects are being implemented in various health facilities yet promotion of health workers is not prioritised.

However, County Secretary Kiambi Atheru said they have engaged with the union leaders, and they have agreed that promotions and other issues will be dealt with.

"We have a list of those who will be promoted, and we will forward it to the County Public Service Board for them to be promoted immediately," Atheru said.

The CS said they had a challenge as there was no supplementary budget, but it is now available.

"The Problem was not on our side as the executive, it rested with the county assembly now that the matter had been sorted and the budget being agreed upon and signed now you can go back to work," Atheru said.

He said they have done much to address the grievances by the health workers.

"They should now understand that all issues raised will be catered for, and they should now go back to work," Atheru said.

It now remains to be seen if the health workers will go back to work.

Meru residents have been seeking health services from private facilities for the whole month of August.