Health workers’ quest for better allowances hangs in the balance after county governments were told to reorganise their budgets to raise Sh2.356 billion required to implement the welfare and insurance package

This comes after Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani, in a letter to Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) chairperson Lyn Mengich, told counties to carry their own crosses.

“County governments should be requested to reorganise their respective budgets and provide for the Covid-19 medical emergency allowance for their staff as per your approval,” Mr Yatani says in the May 5 letter.

On Thursday, Health Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi said the government was in talks with the workers’ representatives to avert the industrial action, which is likely to paralyse operations in public hospitals.

The Ministry of Public Service and Gender proposed a medical emergency allowance and benefits for all frontline health workers in the national and county governments for three months effective April 1.

In the letter, Mt Yatani notes that the cost of implementing the allowance and the benefits for the national and county workers for the three months is estimated at Sh3.432 billion.