|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Mercy Kachenge
Nairobi, Kenya: Healthcare services across the country face disruption after the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUM) issued a 26 day notice to both the county and national government citing unresolved grievances their members spanning seven years despite the efforts to have them amicably solved.
The Nurses nationwide strike is set to begin 7th July 2025 if the government fails to address the nine critical issues within the specified days.
According to the union, nurses have continued to work under precarious conditions, which has created disparities in employment and insecurity with the public health system.
The KNUNM Secretary General Seth Panyako the strike resulted over issues by the Ministry of Health that have remained unresolved.
Among the listed demands is the conversion of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) nurses to permanent and pensionable terms which has created job security and disparity in employment conditions.
Panyako also faulted county governments for implementing the new 2024 salary structure recommended by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). Despite a circular issued in September 2024 mandating the changes effective from July 1, 2024, counties have not complied, leaving many healthcare workers under-compensated.
The union has also cited failure to implement the Return to Work Formula agreed upon on November 2, 2017, and accused county governments of neglecting to finalize Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).Panyako stated that other concerns include illegal deductions of agency fees at Kenyatta National Hospital which deprives them of their right as health workers.
“Failure by the Ministry of Health to allocate funds to Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, and acute nurse shortages in public facilities”, he stated.
Additionally, the union is demanding the preauthorization for nurse anesthetists and empanelment of nursing health facilities by the Nursing Council of Kenya.
The union further cited failure by the government to remit third-party deductions also remains unresolved.The KNUNM secretary demanded the issue to be addressed within 26 working days from the date of the letter.
