Vets push for pay to match medical peers

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

Veterinary doctors and veterinary interns serving in the public sector have petitioned Parliament to harmonise their salaries and allowances with those of medical doctors.

The Kenya Veterinary Association said that despite comparable training periods, professional responsibilities, statutory mandates, public health roles, and occupational risks with their medical counterparts, veterinary officers continue to receive inequitable remuneration that is not commensurate with their duties.

Kelvin Osore, President of the Kenya Veterinary Association, said veterinary personnel perform critical functions in veterinary public health, zoonotic disease control, disease surveillance, emergency outbreak response, border health control, and the regulation of foods of animal origin.

“These duties are undertaken in high-risk environments, where officers are exposed to biological, chemical and physical hazards, including zoonotic infections, animal-related injuries, hazardous biological materials, dangerous drugs and chemicals, radiation, corrosive substances, abattoir conditions, hostile field environments, and enforcement-related risks,” Dr Osore said in the petition.

“The Fourth Schedule to the Constitution places veterinary services under county health services, and that Section 77(3) of the Employment and Labour Relations Act recognises veterinary services as an essential service.”

Dr Osore said proposals made in 2007 to harmonise veterinary salaries with those of medical doctors have not been implemented despite repeated engagements with the State Department for Livestock Development and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.

“Honourable Members, in light of the foregoing, the petitioner seeks the intervention of the National Assembly to engage the Directorate of Veterinary Services, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, the Public Service Commission, the Council of Governors, the State Department for Livestock Development, and other relevant agencies to review and harmonise remuneration and applicable allowances, including risk, non-practice, call, hardship and internship allowances,” Moses Wetangula, the National Assembly Speaker said in a communication conveying the petition to the House.

“The petitioner seeks the intervention of the National Assembly to make any further legislative, policy, budgetary or oversight recommendations necessary to address disparities in salaries and allowances, and to strengthen veterinary public health, one health approaches, border health security, disease preparedness, and the protection of Kenya’s livestock economy.”

Mr Wetangula said his office received the petition from Dr Osore.

“Having established that the matters raised in the Petition fall within the authority of this House, and noting that they are not pending before any court of law or constitutional body, I hereby commit the Petition to the Public Petitions Committee for consideration, pursuant to Standing Order 208A,” Mr Wetangula said.

“The committee is required to consider the Petition and report its findings to the House and to the Petitioner in accordance with Standing Order 227(2).”

Reporting originally appeared via Business Daily. Read the full source for additional context.