Patients, relatives in agony as nurses strike enters Day Two

Patients seeking treatment at various public hospitals across the country were turned away Tuesday as the nurses’ strike entered its second day.

Critically ill patients were discharged from public hospitals in Taita-Taveta County as more than 300 nurses joined in the nationwide strike.

A spot check by the Nation at Moi County Referral Hospital in Voi revealed that the wards remained deserted as patients were collected by relatives.

Crucial health services such as free maternity were also paralysed as expectant mothers in labour were advised to seek services at private facilities.

Services at the hospital’s maternity wing and the children’s wards were completely shut down.

But nurses on contract were still on duty, though union officials were seen persuading them to join in the strike.

County Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) chairperson Halima Hassan said the workers would not resume work until the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is signed by the ministry of Health and county governments.

“Our members withdrew their services and there is no turning back until the CBA is signed,” she said.

Some nurses in the Mt Kenya region have downed their tools while others continued with their work as normal.

Nurses in Embu have begun a go-slow in solidarity with their counterparts, who kicked off a countrywide strike protesting against the government’s failure to pay them allowances negotiated last year.

At Embu Level Five hospital, a majority of the over 600 nurses reported to work yesterday but many remained idle, loitering outside the facility for the better part of the day.

Their representative, Knun vice-chairman Joseph Ngwasi, said they would formally kick off the strike today after holding talks with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

He said they would not take anything short of a CBA.

“We have instructed our people not to admit patients until we have listened to the SRC. The strike is on and we will start demonstrations today," he said.

Operations at Chuka County Referral Hospital were normal but union officials insisted the strike is on.

Knun county branch chairman Fabian Marigu said they would paralyse services in the course of the day.

The nurses’ strike failed to kick off in Nyeri, as operations in hospitals remained normal even as the union officials insisted that there was a strike.

Knun branch secretary Beatrice Nduati said there was communication from the union headquarters instructing all nurses to down their tools.

“We are also affected in the salary row. We want the CBA signed. Nothing but the CBA,” she said.

In Mandera, Knun branch secretary Mohamed Noor Maalim Abdi said no services were being offered in all the sixty health facilities.

“All services have been paralysed. Our 301 members in Mandera are on strike,” he said.

Health services at Meru Level 5 Hospital were moving on smoothly despite Knun officials saying the nurses were on strike

A spot check by the Nation at the facility revealed that the patients were being attended to.

Meru Knun branch secretary Nesbitt Mugendi said nurses in the country were on strike until a CBA is signed and registered.

“In some very sensitive areas we don’t just vacate at once, sometimes we sort those who are at risk,” he said.

In Kirinyaga County, some relatives withdrew their patients from Kerugoya Hospital. Most transferred the patients to private hospitals.

Those who could not afford private health services took their sick loved ones homes.

At Garissa Referral Hospital some wards were empty after patients moved out voluntarily.

In other wards, patients were depending on the services of intern clinical officers.

Reported by Lucy Mkanyika, Irene Mugo, Manase Otsialo, Isabel Githae, Charles Wanyoro, George Munene, Abdimalik Hajir