Pay nurses' salary arrears to prevent strikes: Mohamed Kuti

Thirteen counties which are yet to pay nurses outstanding salaries for the period they were on strike have been asked to settle the payments.
Council of Governors (CoG) Health Committee Chairman Mohamed Kuti further asked counties that are yet to effect the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to do so, saying it would motivate nurses to work and do away with strike threats.
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“Patients suffered last year during a nationwide strike and we do not want a replica of that. The specific counties where nurses have threatened to down their tools should dialogue with Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) officials and the nurses to end the stalemate,” said Dr Kuti.
The Isiolo Governor also held that the committee will dialogue with union officials to solve other pending issues to allow Kenyans get better health services.
Last week, Knun Secretary-General Seth Panyako said Bungoma, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kericho, Kirinyaga, Laikipia, Makueni, Murang’a, Nakuru, Nyeri, Tharaka-Nithi and Wajir had not paid the salary arrears.
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Governor Kuti spoke after inspecting Isiolo Level IV Hospital on Friday. He urged the devolved units to meet their obligations to avoid confrontation and improve service delivery.
“Although the CBA involved the CoG, it is up to the individual counties to implement it and avoid paralysing the health sector,” he added.
The document signed by the nurses’ union, county and national governments stipulating terms for resuming duty indicates that nurses were to be paid their withheld salaries by December 31, 2017.