Stand-off as nurses go on strike over delayed pay

Nurses on strike PHOTO: COURTESY

By MICHAEL OLLINGA

Uasin Gishu: Crisis has hit Uasin Gishu District Hospital after nurses in the area officially declared that they are on strike over delayed payment of their salaries.

Since Saturday, there has been a significant go slow by health practitioners at the hospital, which is one of the county’s largest health facilities.

Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary General, John Bii, maintained that the strike is on and would continue until the county government addresses issues they raised.

“So far, this has appeared to be nothing more than a go slow but come Monday and the reality will be seen. Nurses are not going to offer any services to the public because vital issues concerning their job status remain unresolved,” he told The Standard.

Bii said nurses under KNUN will hold a demonstration around Eldoret town adding that all nurses, from across the county, are expected to be present.

“County officials have turned a deaf ear to our issues. We wanted to engage in dialogue with them to ensure that our colleagues’ welfare is catered for. But now, we have no option but to go head to head with them,” he said.

The union is accusing Uasin Gishu County Government and specifically officials in charge of health for not paying nurses under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) for the last three months.

Bii said the county has refused to absorb and pay nurses who were transferred to the county and have been offering services.

The nurses’ strike kicked off despite the County Executive Committee (CEC) Member in charge of Health Dr Eunice Siria saying they have paid all nurses and those claiming not to have received their salaries are not rightfully deployed in the area.

Siria backed by County Secretary, Peter Lelei, had earlier said that they do not recognise the KNUN.