Woman gives birth outside Machakos hospital during strike

A woman gave birth at the gate of Machakos Level 5 Hospital on Tuesday morning as a strike by health workers at the facility entered its second day.

The woman had just alighted from a motorbike that had transported her to the hospital.

She was quickly attended to by the security guards at the gate.

Later the woman was taken to the wards after giving birth.

The guards and a medical professional who rushed to the scene assisted to cut the umbilical cord.

REACHED A DEAL

At the time health workers' representatives, county labour officers and the county executive member were in a closed-door meeting negotiating a return-to-work formula.

Later, public service and labour executive Larry Wambua and the executive member, health and emergency services Naomi Mutie issued a statement announcing the end of the strike after reaching a deal with the workers.

"The boycott by health workers was occasioned by misunderstanding and issues that were out of control of the government of Machakos," said the health executive.

She cited an ongoing court case by county assemblies challenging the budget ceiling introduced by the Commission for Revenue Allocation.

The case forced the Controller of Budget to halt the release of funds beyond 50 per cent of the approved budgetary allocation, said Ms Mutie.

The ruling is set on January 28.

On Tuesday, the health workers signed an agreement to resume work at 6.30 pm after the county government agreed to remit their dues to the various institutions.

The county government had not been remitting their NHIF and NSSF deductions.