Taita-Taveta nurses strike pay deal with county government

Taita-Taveta Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary Boniface Mrashui addressing journalists at Moi County Referral Hospital in Voi. PHOTO | LUCY MKANYIKA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • During the strike, many residents suffered as patients were forcefully discharged.
  • County Executive for Health Daniel Makoko said that 53 deaths were recorded during the strike period.

  • Crucial services including, pre-natal and antenatal clinics, theatre and maternity services were also stopped.

Nurses in Taita-Taveta have called off their strike after reaching an agreement with the county government.

The county’s Kenya National Union of Nurses officials signed a return to work formula on Tuesday evening following talks with county health officials, public service board and the legal department.

Led by the union’s secretary-general Boniface Mrashui, the officials said their members would resume work by Thursday.

Mr Mrashui said they had suspended the strike to pave way for the ongoing negotiation process at the national level.

SUFFERED

During the strike, many residents suffered as patients were forcefully discharged.

Crucial services including, pre-natal and antenatal clinics, theatre and maternity services were also stopped. County Executive for Health Daniel Makoko said that 53 deaths were recorded during the strike period.

He however, said they could not confirm whether all those deaths were as a result of lack of services in hospitals.

“I used to get so many distress calls from residents but I could not help them. Many of them suffered due to lack of health services,” he said.

The county official said that the nurses’ withheld salaries will be paid t by Thursday. “No nurse will be victimised since strikes are allowed by the law,” Mr Makoko said.

CASE WITHDRAWN

He said the county government will comply with decisions made between the national office and the State regarding the nurses uniform allowances.  

"We will give them the allowances based on the decision reached at the national level," he said.

The county government also agreed to withdraw a court case filed against the nurses at the Voi High Court. Mr Mrashui said that the meeting resolved that issues like nurses’ promotion and welfare be addressed.    

“There will be consultative meetings where nurses will be expected to raise their concerns,” he said.