Reprieve for patients in Busia as nurses resume work

Patients in Busia can now breathe a sigh of relief after nurses in the county suspended their strike.

The over 500 nurses affiliated to the Kenya National Union of Nurses Busia branch will report back to work on Monday following successful talks between union officials and the county government.

Branch secretary-general Isaiah Omondi Saturday said they had agreed on various issues including the promotion of 340 nurses 

The nurses also demanded for regular consultations, salary increment for staffs who were promoted in 2014 and processing of gratuity for Economic Stimulus Program staff.

TALKS

He added that they took the decision to give way for reconciliatory talks on going at national level following a court order that suspended the strike for 60 days.

“We laud the county government for giving us an open door to air our grievances since most of the issues we are agitating for are achievable and much more administrative in nature,” he said.

He urged the county government to sort out contentious issues raised within the grace period to avert another strike in future.

“We will meet with our members on Monday to deliberate on this agreement but the most important thing is to have this things sorted before another strike is called which is not good for the community,” said Omondi.

He said an industrial action is a pointer that someone is sleeping on the job since pertinent issues raised by the medics could be solved without a strike.

Busia Deputy Governor Mosies Mulomi assured the officials that the county had already initiated the issuance of promotion letters which will be concluded on April 4, 2019.

He said the County government will also establish the office of Director of Nursing through following all laid down procedures and in accordance with scheme of service of nurses.

“No striking nurses will be victimised for participating in the strike. We are open to further discussions with the union officials since we don’t want disruption of normal health services in the county’s health institutions,” said Mr Mulomi after signing the return-to-work formula with the officials.

Busia joins Murang'a, Kisii, Kisumu and Embu counties whose nurses called off their strike.