All Taita Taveta Clinical Officers (CO) serving in public health facilities in the region were sacked by the County Governor Granton Samboja on Monday, 18th November after failing to return to work as they had been ordered to.
The 85 Clinical Officers in the county were said to have been served with letters of dismissal by the County’s Health executive office, Daniel Makoko.
The medics were pushing for better pay and promotions, which led them to go on strike on 1st November when their demands were not met.
According to CEC Makoko, the medics, through their union officials, were called upon by the county’s administration to discuss a return to work formula but they refused.
“The health sector is a very important docket in any county, which is why we called their union officials to discuss how to tackle the matter but they declined,” said Makoko.
According to Makoko, the clinical Officers had even received a court order directing them to return to work but they still defied the order, the more reason the county had to have them sacked.
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Makoko confirmed that they (doctors and nurses) have also received a warning to return to work as soon as possible or be sacked as Cos have been sacked.
Members of County Assembly, led by Majority Leader Jason Tuja and Nominated MCA Christopher Mwambingu said that the medics on strike have no reason to strike and are being insensitive to patients’ plight.
Tuja said that their demands will be addressed in the supplementary budget that was recently passed by the assembly and that they ought to go back to serving citizens.
While the medics and the county administration continue to stage their row, patients who cannot afford to access private health facilities continue to suffer, having no one to address their ailments.