Medics salary delay due to hold up on county funds: Oparanya

COVID-19 has disrupted services leading to undue delays in disbursement of funds to county governments which is why some health workers are yet to receive their salaries, the Council of Governors has said.

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CoG Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya said county governments are yet to receive their monthly allocation for October, November and December amounting to over Ksh. 6obillion.

“This means salary delays unavailability of pharm and non-pharm, payment of due bills and remittance of statutory deductions among others.,” he said in a statement.

However, according to Governor Oparanya, only two counties have not paid their November salaries.

He said the other counties have had to take bank overdrafts to ensure that salaries are paid on time even though this cannot cover statutory remittances because of their huge monetary implications.

The COG Chairman urged healthcare workers to understand the prevailing circumstances and lend their support in the global unprecedented war against the pandemic.

“Most of the issues raised by the unions are specific to certain counties and therefore not all. We urge the health workers’ union to resolve the issues with the concerned counties,” he added.

With regards to the conversion of all contractual employment to permanent pensionable terms, enhancement of risk allowance, declaration of COVID-19 as an occupational health hazard and establishment of a health service commission, the Governor said the issues are being addressed by multi agency committee headed by  Labour CS Simon Chelugui.

The council boss further called on governors to meet with the recognized county health workers unions and discuss their grievances with a view of resolving any outstanding grievances amicably.

“For health workers in the national government our advice is the same, let the grievances be addressed at the national level with the respective relevant union,” he said.

Governor Oparanya cited the court order on the industrial action by the health workers urging them to heed the directive and call it off.