Kenya govt fires 25,000 health workers on strike

Kenya's government spokesman says the government has fired 25,000 striking health workers from their public hospital jobs for defying an order to return to work.

Alfred Mutua said Thursday that the health workers' names have been deleted from the payroll after they launched the strike on March 1. He asked that any unemployed health professional report to the nearest health facility on Friday to apply for the openings. Those include posts for nurses, lab technicians, physical therapists and dental technicians.

Alex Orina of the Kenya Health Professionals Society says the government's announcement is a negotiating tactic and that the government cannot replace 25,000 health workers.

He said one of the reasons health workers are striking is because of a heavy workload due to staff shortages. (AP)