Clinical Officers call off strike after signing agreement with counties

The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) has signed a return-to-work agreement with county governments, ending a three-month strike.

In a statement issued Monday, the union asked all clinicians to report back to work within 24 hours.

According to the agreement, counties will begin negotiating a collective bargaining agreement to be concluded within 60 days.

The devolved units will also begin the process of promoting and re-designating clinical officers within one month.

Counties also agreed to pay the clinical officers of risk allowances and provide medical cover by September 1, 2024.

Additionally, the Ministry of Health will allocate budgets to county governments to cover the salaries of Universal Healthcare workers and COVID-19 employees.

The two parties further agreed that there would be no victimization of clinical officers who participated in the strike.

The clinical officers began their strike on March 25 to push for a review of salaries for Universal Health Coverage-UHC clinicians, risk allowance, and the absorption of a section of their lot on permanent basis.