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A week-long strike by nurses concerning promotions and employment terms has paralysed health services in Kakamega, forcing patients to travel long distances in search of medical services from private hospitals and the neighbouring Bungoma and Vihiga counties.
Although the county allocates at least 30 per cent of its budget towards health, the sector has had its share of challenges including low bed capacity. The 500-bed hospital has been unable to handle swelling numbers of patients admitted in general wards.
Governor Wycliffe Oparanya acknowledged that the hospital was facing a number of challenges and promised to build new wards to ease congestion.
"We have embarked on renovating Kakamega County General Hospital at a cost of Sh200 million. We are constructing an amenity ward at the hospital to accommodate more patients," said Mr Oparanya.
"We have a modern ICU and blood transfusion unit - the first one in the region. The unit cost Sh21 million and will be used for blood testing and screening. The renal unit is functional and offering services to several patients with kidney problems," he said.
But the current strike by nurses reveals there is more the county needs to do in the health sector.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Kisumu has since issued an order to stop the strike.
TEMPORARY INJUNCTION
"The respondents (Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) and Secretary General Seth Panyako) are restrained by temporary injunction from calling, inciting, participating or taking part in a strike in Kakamega County or calling their members to take part in a strike pursuant to the notice dated 19th, August 2016, from withdrawing their labour pending the inter-parties hearing of this application," read part of the court order.
The county government has also maintained that the strike is illegal, saying striking nurses risked disciplinary action.
The county government has advertised 250 vacancies for nurses.
"The strike is illegal. We have done almost everything nurses demanded. We have promoted 477 nurses, hired more nurses and interviews to promote others are underway. We cannot promote all nurses at once at the expense of other medics," said Peninah Mukabane, the county Health Services executive.
KNUN Kakamega branch secretary Renson Bulunya insisted that the strike was still on. However, a spot check of health facilities in the county revealed improvement in the sector.
Navakholo Sub-County Hospital, for example, now has a theater and X-ray machines. It is one of the seven Level Four hospitals that have been equipped with modern X-ray machines and ultrasound equipment.
"We have allocated Sh20 million each for all Level Four hospitals in the county," said Oparanya.
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