The Mater Misericordiae Hospital has announced plans to slash employee salaries by up to 50 percent, ad send others on unpaid leave.
This follows a reduced number of patients visiting the hospital due to Covid-19, hence reduced revenues.
In a memo signed by the hospital CEO Prof Dominic Mwenja, the salary cuts will last for a period of four months after which the decision will be reviewed.
“In this regard, all staff will unfortunately take a pay cut in the month of June, July, August and September in a graduated scale according to their pay,” the memo read in part.
Those proceeding on unpaid leave will be cushioned with 50 percent pay of the reviewed amount, Prof Mwenja said.
The hospital management asked its employees to understand the “desperate” situation that we are all in.
The ministry of health has noted in the past that the number of patients seeking treatment in hospitals has dwindled since the first coronavirus case was reported in March.
Officials have continued to urge Kenyans to walk into hospitals when ill noting that hospitals are safe.
As tough economic times continue to bite, companies have been forced to send employees packing while others have been forced to take pay cuts of up to 50 percent.
For example, on Wednesday, Fairmont Hotel closed its two hotels in Kenya; Fairmont The Norfolk and Fairmont Mara Safari Club due to the effects of Covid-19.
In a statement, the management announced that all employees will be sent home, with only those that have served the hotel for over five years getting severance pay while others will get a one month’s pay in lieu.
“It is regrettable that our hotels, Fairmont The Norfolk and Fairmont Mara Safari Club have since ceased their operations as a spiral effect of the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent flooding of Fairmont Mara Safari Club. These unprecedented natural causes have resulted in disruption of our business now and in the unforeseeable future,” the hotel said.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has told Kenyans that there are plans to reopen the economy.
This even as number of infections skyrocket. Kenya’s total now stands at 1,618 after 147 people tested positive for the respiratory disease.
Recovered cases have also risen, now jumping to 421 while fatalities shot to 58.
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