Deaths, suffering as nurses’ strike enters third day
Nairobi County nurses protest on city streets on June 7, 2017. PHOTO | FAITH NYAMAI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The national nurses’ strike has entered its third day, with some of the health workers staging street protests to push the government to act.
This came as deaths and cases of patient suffering were reported in several public hospitals across the country.
An elderly patient died at Baringo County Referral Hospital after she was left unattended.
The woman, who had asthma, had been left unattended since Monday and succumbed on Tuesday after she developed breathing difficulties.
Evalyne Kolem, who occupied the bed next to the elderly woman in Ward One, said her ward-mate had complained on Monday evening that she had developed some breathing difficulties but there was no one to attend to her.
“I was sleeping next to the elderly woman, who was asthmatic. She had not been attended to since Monday,” said Ms Kolem.
A man walks out of Baringo County Referral Hospital on June 7, 2017. An elderly asthmatic patient died there as nurses went on strike. PHOTO | FLORA KOECH | NATION MEDIA GROUP
CLEAR BILLS
A spot check by the Nation on Wednesday morning revealed that operations had been paralysed at the referral hospital as patients were discharged and advised to seek services in private hospitals.
Beds in most of the wards remained empty as patients were discharged early in the morning. They were, however, required to clear their medical bills before being let out.
The maternity wing had two patients left in the care of nurses on internship.
Patients who could not pay their pending bills or could not afford to go to private hospitals were pondering their next move.
This happened as over 94 nurses took to the streets of Kabarnet vowing to down their tools until their demands are met.
Patients wait to be served at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital on June 7, 2017. Doctors and clinical officers were holed up in a closed-door meeting in the morning as nurses stayed away. PHOTO | ELGAR MACHUKA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
IMPLEMENT CBA
The nurses, led by Kenya National Union of Nurses branch secretary Francis Koros, said they were willing to return to work but only after the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is signed and the strike called off by the national union leaders.
“We have withdrawn our services and left the other cadres of medics to attend to the patients as we protest to demand our rights because that is the only language the government understands,” said Mr Koros.
The nurses’ union has directed all its 45,000 members to down their tools as from last Monday until the CBA is signed and implemented.
The CBA was aimed at harmonising nurses’ salaries, providing better healthcare equipment in hospitals and hiring more nurses, among other objectives.
Striking Meru nurses outside Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital on June 7, 2017. PHOTO | DAVID MUCHUI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
ASSEMBLY APPROVES PAY
Meanwhile, the Meru County Assembly has passed a second supplementary budget approving payment of Sh374.6 million in arrears for health workers’ allowances.
This is after the national government allocated the money for nursing service, doctors and health workers’ allowances.
The county’s 970 nurses will get Sh100.6 million in nursing service allowance, Sh60.7 million for 134 doctors, Sh16.8 million as call allowance and Sh240 million for health workers' allowances.
The allowances have increased the health department's wage bill from Sh1.6 billion to Sh2 billion annually.
The waiting area at Nakuru Level Five Hospital on June 7, 2017. PHOTO | REITZ MUREITHI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
TWO NURSES ON DUTY
At Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, only two of the 182 nurses were working on Wednesday, Medical Superintendent Julius Ogato said.
Psychiatric and outpatient services, however, were grounded.
“The situation is so bad because most of our patients are admitted and they require services that are offered by nurses. Also due to overload on the ten nurses, some of the patients have not been attended to,” he said.
He added that the nurses abandoned their work stations on Monday at 8am.
But services are available for HIV and TB patients and in the Methadone clinics for drug users.
At Kenyatta National Hospital, normal services were available as the nurses have a different CBA, according to Simon Ithae, KNH head of communications.
A deserted ward at Nyeri Referral Hospital on June 7, 2017. PHOTO | IRENE MUGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
NO ADMISSIONS
In Nyeri County, public hospitals have stopped admitting patients.
Only recently hired nurses on contract are attending to at least 47 patients in the normal wards and in the maternity wing at Karatina Hospital.
At Nyeri Referral Hospital, patients were evacuated by their relatives and taken to private facilities.
Reported by Florah Koech, Eunice Kilonzo, Irene Mugo and David Muchui
