Atwoli: NHIF workers will be automatically transitioned into SHA

Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has urged the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) employees to ignore an advisory on reapplying for their roles.

Atwoli, who spoke to The Standard on the phone, said the workers would be automatically transitioned into the newly established Social Health Authority (SHA).

The COTU boss, who sits on the SHA board, termed the advisory by Public Service Commission to Ministry of Health misleading and irregular, maintaining that matters of employment within SHA would be handled internally.

"The SHA Act does not give the PSC powers to handle employment issues in SHA and we have not invited them to do so. Reapplying for the jobs is not a decision of the board or the human resource committee where I sit," said Atwoli. 

In their advisory dated November 18 and addressed to Medical Services Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai, the PSC said the permanent and pensionable terms of some 1,800 NHIF workers ended last Thursday.

The commission stated that those who would not qualify for positions in SHA would be retired or redeployed within the public service. It directed that all the NHIF employees be temporarily deployed to SHA for the next six months until the recruitment exercise at SHA is completed.

“They will be eligible and at liberty to apply and be considered for appointment by SHA in the said recruitment exercise on the terms and conditions of service at SHA,” the advisory reads in part.

The transition from NHIF to SHA has left many employees uncertain about their future, with Atwoli's remarks setting the SHA board on a collision course with PSC.

Atwoli said that NHIF employees would be absorbed into SHA, except where disciplinary cases were involved. There will be considerations for those due for retirement, with those seeking to opt out free to do so, Atwoli explained.

"The only time where workers will be required to reapply for a job is when an internal vacancy is announced as the law requires that there should be competition from outside. We want to assure all employees that there will be a smooth transition and they have our total support. We will not erode their confidence in us. The scary letter by the PSC should be disregarded," said the COTU boss.