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Medical laboratory officers in Turkana County on Monday commenced an industrial strike citing acute understaffing and a range of long-standing grievances.
According to Moses Emoit, a union official representing the laboratory officers, the county government has failed to recruit new laboratory personnel and specialists since the last hiring exercise in 2016.
“Turkana County currently has only 63 medical laboratory officers serving all 228 health facilities. Lodwar County Referral Hospital alone requires 56 officers for optimal operation, leaving only nine officers to serve the remaining facilities across the county,” said Emoit.
The staffing crisis is expected to worsen following the completion of six additional dispensaries this year under socio-economic infrastructure projects by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).
Emoit also revealed that 16 health facilities have been shut down due to lack of laboratory services.
“The county government has not assured us of any plans to restore services, and that is why we have decided to down our tools,” he added.
The union further criticized the county government for failing to sign a recognition agreement, which they say would establish a formal platform for engagement on labour issues.
Other concerns raised include failure to promote and redesignate officers who are eligible, and alleged non-remittance of statutory deductions to relevant institutions.
In solidarity with colleagues across the country, the officers are also demanding the absorption of contract staff hired under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme into permanent and pensionable terms.
Stella Mwangi, a UHC medical laboratory officer who has served in Turkana for the past 13 years, said the officers feel demoralized due to low wages despite performing the same duties as their permanently employed counterparts.
“We appeal to the governor to listen to our concerns. We are less than 150 officers and absorbing us into permanent terms should not be a challenge for the county,” said Mwangi.
