Talks to end Taita Taveta nurses strike flop

Talks between Taita Taveta county government and the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) hit a deadlock on Monday evening after the county government officials failed to convince striking nurses to resume duty.

The talks to end the ongoing strike were initially led by Governor John Mruttu at county headquarters in Wundanyi.

KNUN county officials told the Nation that the talks failed due to lack of commitment by county government to implement an agreement signed between them in September 2016.

They said the talks flopped after the health officials demanded the nurses to resume work to give room for negotiations without a return-to-work formula.

The union’s county secretary general, Boniface Mrashui maintained the strike will continue and they would not go to work until their grievances are resolved.

As the strike entered its sixth day on Tuesday, public hospitals were still closed as patients were forced to seek treatment in private facilities.

The nurses are protesting for unpaid allowances and poor working conditions.

“The county government is playing a cat and mouse game. We signed an agreement in September but up to now they have not implemented any item we had agreed on,” he claimed.

He blamed Health Services officials for their lack of commitment in solving challenges in public health facilities in the county.

“We will not go to work until they resolve all the issues we had raised,” he said.

County Health Services director, Dr John Logedi confirmed that the talks between the parties meant to end health crisis in public hospitals in the county flopped.

“I am in a meeting. I will later inform you on the way forward,” he said.