Bomet clinical officers begin strike over labour concerns

Health services in Bomet County could be affected after clinical officers began an indefinite strike over what their union describes as unresolved labour grievances.

The Union of Clinical Officers Bomet branch said the industrial action began at midnight, with its members withdrawing services in public health facilities across the county.

Speaking on Friday, Bomet Branch Secretary Timothy Kipkoech said the union called the strike over several issues that it wants addressed through engagement with the county administration.

According to the union, one of its key demands is the signing and implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The union also said it has raised concerns over the redesignation and promotion of clinical officers, as well as payment of arrears based on Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) rates.

Kipkoech further said the union had concerns over the employment status of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff, claiming that while some workers had been employed, others remained on contract despite expectations that the matter would be resolved.

We are asking that these issues be looked into and addressed in totality," Kipkoech said.

The union also claimed that some issues it says were agreed upon under a return-to-work formula following an earlier strike had not been fully implemented.

Kipkoech urged the county administration and the governor to engage with health workers and help resolve the dispute.

The union also raised concerns over a recent recruitment advertisement for clinical officers.

According to Kipkoech, the advertisement did not align with what the union described as current guidelines on the entry grade for newly recruited clinical officers.

He said the guidelines require clinical officers to be recruited at Job Group J, but alleged that the positions advertised were placed at Job Group H.

The union said several other counties had aligned their recruitment with the guidelines.

The Union of Clinical Officers Bomet branch called on the Department of Health and the County Public Service Board to engage health workers and address the concerns raised to allow normal services to resume.

According to the union, the strike has affected clinical officer services in dispensaries, health centres, sub-county hospitals and the county referral hospital

The union also said specialised services, including theatre operations, anaesthesia, oncology clinics and other specialist clinics, could remain unavailable until the dispute is resolved..