Health paralysis has hit Kenya’s health sector once again after nurses downed their tools pushing for implementation of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) entered in January.
On Monday, patients across many hospitals in the country were left unattended after nurses took to the streets demanding for implementation of the CBA.
Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) directed its 45, 000 members to down their tools until government honors its pledge.
A spot check in some hospitals in Western and Coast counties revealed an appalling state of the health sector as patients were left on the benches while others remained locked out of the facilities.
According to the CBA, a nurse was to have sh12, 000 allowance paid into to their payslip starting January and sh20, 000 as from July.
“The government promised to sign the treaty in December last year but they have reneged on the promise.”
“County governments have reneged on this and yet the implementation span was set for March 2. This is June, three months later. We will only resume duty after the CBA is implemented,” said KNUN chair in Kakamega County Renson Bulunya.
At Coast General Hospital, patients were stranded not knowing where to turn to.
In Samburu County, patients were redirected to other neighboring private facilities.
Six women who had their babies at the facility’s maternity were forced to take them away without doctors’ consent.
However, in some counties such as Nyeri, services went on uninterrupted despite calls by KNUN at the national level calling for the strike.
However, KNUN Nyeri Branch Chair Beatrice Nduati insisted that they want the CBA implemented.
“We want the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signed. Nothing but the CBA,” she said.