Striking nurses face the sack

Nurses who have defied the government’s order to return to work will begin receiving their sacking letters on Tuesday, Chief Nursing Officer Chris Rakuom has said.

Mr Rakuom said since the nurses refused to obey the directive by Medical Services minister Anyang’ Nyong’o, they would be shown the door.

“Nurses have resumed duty but we shall have reports from their work stations and act on them appropriately,” said Mr Rakuom. “Our duty as civil servants is to implement the minister’s directive,” he added.

There were a few nurses on duty in most public hospitals visited by the Nation in Nairobi. The situation was similar in Kangundo, at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Referral Hospital and Old Nyanza Hospital in Kisumu.

The striking nurses paralysed services at the main public hospitals in Kisumu and went to Kenyatta Sports ground to hold talks on the way forward with union officials.

Operations remained stalled at Siaya District Hospital as more than 30 nurses and clinical officers also joined the strike demanding the registration of their union.

Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Nyanza branch secretary-general Moris Odhiambo said they would not end the strike unless their grievances were addressed.

The national secretary-general of the unregistered KNUN, Mr Seth Panyako said they would not be intimidated by threats from Prof Nyong’o. (Editorial: Sacking nurses no cure)

“We want to register our union, so that we can have a Collective Bargaining Agreement. Is registering a union too much to ask?” posed Mr Panyako. “Why is the minister ordering us to go back to work, he has no powers to hire or fire us, only the Public Service Commission has that mandate.”

The nurses are also demanding that 6,000 colleagues on contract be employed on a permanent basis, the naming of the Directorate of Nursing and a return-to-work formula.

“We need someone to fight for our rights at the policy level. We want the government to respect our rights as health officers,” said Mr Panyako.

In Kisumu, Mr Gerry Oluoch, a patient admitted at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Hospital said he had not been treated since admission and was suffering a lot after wounds he obtained from an accident turned septic.

“We are just being fed by cleaners. I cannot afford treatment at a private hospital so I’m still here hoping the nurses will resume duty,” he said.

Reported by Edith Fortunate, Gastone Valusi and Lillian Achieng’