Nurses are among seventeen cadres of health workers in Kenya that are threatening to strike in the next 14 days in protest of poor working conditions even as they stand on the frontline of fighting COVID-19.
The seventeen cadres of health professionals are demanding better workplace and better protective gear to safeguard them as they stand most exposed to COVID-19 failure to which they will go on strike in the next 14 days.
The health workers’ 14-day strike notice to the government leaves Kenyans anxious as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continue to rise at a faster rate than had been previously witnessed.
The seventeen cadres of health workers that have issued a 14-day notice to strike include:
- Nurses
- Clinical Officers
- Medical Lab Technicians
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Nutritionists
The health professional bodies have sworn that they will commence their strike on May 18th 2020 if their demands are not addressed by the date accusing the government of sidelining them at a time when their lives are being placed in grave risk.
Leaders of Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun), Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (Kuco), Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers, Kenya National Union of Pharmaceutical Technologists gave the address all agreeing to embark on a nationwide strike on the 18th of May 2020.
Announcing the 14-day strike notice, Mohammed Duba, the chairman of the umbrella body of Kenya Health Professionals Society (KHPS) said that their goodwill to support the government in the fight against COVID-19 stood but should be a reason for them to be taken advantage of.
“We reiterate our goodwill to support the government during this period…and once more appeal to the government to address the issues within 14 days from today’s failure to which the unions will commence a nationwide strike,” Duba said.
The health workers are demanding amongst others the harmonization of risk allowances to 30,000 shillings for all cadres from the current 20,000 shillings and three thousand shillings for others.