Patients Suffer as Nurses and Governors Continue Fighting

A total of 18 counties are currently participating in the ongoing nurses’ strike that has entered its 16^th day.

In an updated status of the strike in various counties, the Council of Governors (CoG) revealed that 7,447 healthcare providers went on strike against a total of 8,146.

According to the Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) General Secretary Seth Panyako, the strike will still be on despite court orders to suspend it for a period of 60 days.

Mr. Panyako said that devolved units were playing with the nurse’s minds by failing to honor the agreement the parties in dispute signed on November 2, 2017.

The nurses are demanding uniform and nursing service allowances. They earn 20,000 shillings every month in service allowance, which was to be increased to 30,000 shillings over three years from 2017. The uniform allowance was raised to 10,000 shillings.

As the strike goes on, more than 7,000 nurses in public health facilities risk having their salaries withheld and employment terminated as stated by the CoG.

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The Council of Governors (CoG) has disclosed that it issued Show-Cause letters to 250 healthcare givers in Marsabit County while the rest of the nurses who had not reported to work will be served on Monday after which their salaries will be withheld.

The list does not include Isiolo which joined the strike Tuesday and Usain Gishu healthcare givers who commenced theirs on Monday.

In Pumwani hospital in Nairobi County, 45 workers who are affiliated to the County Workers Union are still at home. However, 97 nurses belonging to the Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) have since returned to work.

Nurses in Embu, 638, and Kisii’s 827 have also reported to work while only one of the 406 caregivers in Elgeyo Marakwet is participating in the strike, the report reveals. Homa Bay County had only one nurse report to work from a total of 872 nurses.

On Monday, Seth Panyako, his deputy Maurice Opetu, interim chairman John Gwasi and assistant general secretary Asha Ali Ido were ordered to appear before the court on February 26.

The court said that the union leaders ought to show cause why they should not be punished for contempt. It further warned the union leaders against supporting the strike which was suspended on February 5 in favor of mediation.

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