One dies in hospital following nurses’ strike in Tharaka-Nithi

Tharaka District Hospital in Marimanti town. An accident victim died on november 11, 2016 as he was being rushed from the hospital to a private facility due to lack of nurses to attend to her. FILE PHOTO | ALEX NJERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Ms Mary Kaguna from Nkararu, died while being rushed to Gatunga Mission Hospital from Tharaka Hospital where there were no staff to attend to her.
  • Her body was taken to Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.
  • The boycott by nurses entered its sixth day on Saturday even as the county government threatened to take disciplinary action against those on strike and who are not members of the Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun).

A woman involved in a road accident died on Friday evening after she failed to get medical attention at a hospital due to the ongoing nurses’ strike in Tharaka-Nithi County.

Ms Mary Kaguna from Nkararu, died while being rushed to Gatunga Mission Hospital from Tharaka Hospital where there were no staff to attend to her.

Her body was taken to Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.

The boycott by nurses entered its sixth day on Saturday even as the county government threatened to take disciplinary action against those on strike and who are not members of the Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun).

In a letter seen by the Nation.co.ke, County health chief officer Walter Mugambi warned: “We only received a strike notice from Knun and any other health worker who joined them will be considered having absconded duty.”

But the nurses have maintained that they will not resume duty until they are promoted, statutory deductions are paid and workers scraped from payroll being alleged to be ghost workers reinstated and paid their accrued three-month salaries.

Doctors have also issued the county government with a fourteen-day strike notice with similar demands.

“Many poor people cannot afford traveling to neighbouring counties or move to private hospitals for treatment,” said Mr James Mutugi a resident of Marimanti town.

Ms Lydia Kageni said women seeking maternal services are the most affected by the strike compelling them to seek the service from traditional midwives.

“Two women from Kathangacini were on Thursday helped by other women to deliver by the road side because they had nowhere else to go,” said Ms Kageni.