Council changes Pumwani management

By MUTINDA MWANZIA

The City Council of Nairobi has changed management of the Pumwani Maternity Hospital following frequent strikes by nurses.

The hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Fridah Govedi was on Thursday sacked and replaced by Dr Lazarus Tumba.

Dr Govedi was on Wednesday evening ejected from her office by irate nurses who accused her of high-handedness and failure to address their grievances.

The nurses who had downed tools on Wednesday said working conditions at the hospital were deplorable.

Town Clerk Philip Kisia said a taskforce had been set up to investigate the nurses’ complaints and alleged financial mismanagement.

He said the facility is important as it helps less fortunate members of the society due to the highly subsidised medical charges.

"Auditors have also been sent to the hospital to probe the claims of misuse of finances," said Mr Kisia.

Grievances

Pumwani, which is run by the council, charges Sh3,400 for normal delivery and Sh6,000 for caesarean section.

The nurses resumed work on Thursday and demanded that their grievances, which include increased duty and uniform allowance and hiring of more staff, be addressed. City Director of Public Health Robert Ayisi confirmed that Pumwani hospital has in the past faced management crisis and assured nurses that their grievances were being addressed.

The workers union secretary Festus Ngare said the facility needs proper management if the staff have to be motivated.

He said the hospital needs at least 100 more nurses adding the current staff of 180 was inadequate.

"At the moment the nurses are strained and sometimes work for over 12 hours," said Ngare.

The hospital delivers an average of 80 to 100 babies daily.