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Ruto backs health workers after Raila calls for return to work

 

Deputy President William Ruto has hit out at politicians calling for health workers to shelve their pay and adequate protection demands.

Ruto on Tuesday said that issues of healthcare workers should wait for political processes to end first before being attended to.

“I think it is reckless and irresponsible for anybody to say that we wait for political processes so that we can find the money to address the pandemic that we are in. I think that is putting the cart before the horse. Let us sort out the pandemic, the political processes will follow.”

The DP made the remarks in Kericho Country during the burial ceremony of LT. GEN. (RTD) John Koech.

He said that the issues raised by the healthcare workers who are at the frontline in tackling the coronavirus should be given consideration as they continue to battle with the virus, which has caused more than 1,500 deaths.

“To be able to deal effectively with the health pandemic, there is no other place to start other than making sure that our healthcare workers are properly equipped with Personal Protective Equipment and they are paid and their allowances are taken care of and all the issues they have raised are addressed,” Ruto said.

His remarks come a day after ODM leader Raila Odinga urged doctors not to hold the government at ransom by going on strike.

He said doctors took an oath to protect lives and going on strike while Kenyans are dying was contrary to this.

Meanwhile, Ruto said that the government has directed the Ministry of Health to immediately engage with the leadership of all the healthcare workers in the country to make sure that their grievances are addressed.

Ruto said that at this time of the pandemic, healthcare workers come first and their issues, asking all governors to address healthcare workers’ issues over any other considerations.

He also appealed to the healthcare unions to understand where the country is at the moment, even as they demand their issues to be solved.

The DP said the PPEs which are currently held at the Kemsa stores and under probe should be released first and distributed to the healthcare workers.

“As the government, we have said that the PPEs under investigations at Kemsa should be released and distributed to the healthcare workers as probe continues so that they can be able to take their place in making sure that the Covid patients are taken care of.”

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