Clinical officers threaten strike over SHA rollout

The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) has threatened to down their tolls beginning December 23, 2024 over what they term as discrimination in the rollout of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), now rebranded to Taifa Care.

Speaking after their Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Naivasha, KUCO officials accused the Social Health Authority (SHA) of locking their members from offering services under the new health model.

Their strike threat comes a day after the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) called on all intern doctors to withdraw their services over job frustrations, further threatening a mega demonstration in December.

According to KUCO National Chairperson Peterson Wachira, top officials from the authority are to blame for the current crisis that has affected over 6 million Kenyans.

Wachira noted that the new SHA board had blocked clinicians from the list of service providers yet they operate over 1,000 private facilities in the country.

The KUCO boss, addressing the press in Naivasha, noted that the crisis started once the SHIF came into force.

Flanked by other union officials, he warned that the health sector could collapse due to poor management by senior officers from SHA who had introduced a new funding model.

Antony Kariga, an eye-surgeon from Nakuru, said that over 80 per cent of patients in need of eye-operations could not get the services.

He said SHA has blocked them from offering these services and this has seen tens of operations put on hold.

James Nderitu, an anesthetist, said they could no longer seek pre-authorization before conducting their services as was the case before.

A dermatologist, Austin Odour, termed the move by SHA to remove clinical officers from the list of service providers as questionable and inhuman.

He said there are five registered dermatologists in the country against millions of people seeking skin care treatment and wonder how they will work following the new rules by SHA.