Trans Nzoia: Patients Stranded as Nurses down Tools Demanding Pay Rise, Promotions
- Access to health services across all 93 health facilities run by the county government of Trans Nzoia has been disrupted
- The disruption follows a decision by over 400 nurses employed by the county to down their tools starting Tuesday, August 12
- A spot check by TUKO.co.ke at Wamalwa Kijana Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kitale town revealed the impact of the strike
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Patients seeking medical services at Wamalwa Kijana Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kitale and other health facilities across Trans Nzoia county have witnessed disruption of services.
Source: Original
Most of the patients who visited the county-run health facilities were left stranded due to a nurses’ strike that began on Tuesday, August 12.
Impact of Trans Nzoia nurses' strike
A spot check by TUKO.co.ke at the referral hospital revealed that several patients had been left unattended, and some were forced to go back home.
Others with financial capacity and medical insurance coverage resorted to being treated in private hospitals.
"I was here by around 10:00 in the morning. I stayed at the waiting bay for over one hour, and because there was nobody to attend to me, I decided to go back home. I will buy some drugs over the counter. So far, I don't know why patients are not being treated as usual," Jack, one of the patients affected by the nurses’ strike told TUKO.co.ke.
He said he had to go back to his rented house in Mitume slums without being attended to.
Another local said that her sick child had not been attended to. She expressed worry over the lack of services at the health facility run by the county.
"I have been here since noon. I am just here waiting for a nurse to serve me, but so far, I have not seen even one of them. I am getting worried because I don't know when my son will be treated. I am hoping for a miracle," the local said while holding her baby.
The health crisis in Trans Nzoia health facilities has been caused by the nurses’ strike that went full-blown on Tuesday, August 12.
Why are Trans Nzoia nurses on strike?
Speaking to the press at their freedom corner, the Executive Secretary of the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), Edward Cheruiyot, said their members are on strike demanding a pay rise, signing and registration of the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), remittance of their party deductions and promotions.
"The county government of Trans Nzoia failed to conclude our 2025-2029 CBA. We are further suffering from burnouts due to an acute shortage of nurses in all our 93 health facilities, and that is why we have officially downed our tools," Cheruiyot said.
He further said that the over 400 nurses will not go back to work until all their grievances are adequately addressed and resolved.
Source: Original
Who is to blame for Trans Nzoia nurses' strike?
In addition, nurses’ union vice chairperson Stephen Omae blamed the current state on Trans Nzoia County Secretary, Truphosa Amere.
He accused her of having no goodwill to resolve the issues raised.
"We have had a series of reconciliation meetings, but Amere, who is supposedly the Head of Public Service in this county, has been the stumbling block and as an advice, we ask Governor George Natembeya to consider relieving her of her duties because she has proved to be incompetent,” Omae said.
The striking nurses also called on members of the public to ask Natembeya's administration to resolve the health crisis.
"We have done our part. It is the county government of Trans Nzoia that has gone on strike against its people, thus violating their right to health," one of the officials said.
Why KMPDU wants 13 Kiambu hospitals closed
Previously, TUKO.co.ke reported that the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists' Union (KMPDU) had called for the closure of 13 health facilities in Kiambu county.
KMPDU, in a letter to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, cited patients' safety and compromised medical training as the reason the facilities should be closed.
The situation, the union said, had been worsened by the ongoing doctors' strike.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Joshua Cheloti (Editorial assistant) Joshua Cheloti is a multi-skilled journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. He holds a Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media and Communication at Mount Kenya University. At TUKO, he's an editorial assistant. Before TUKO, he worked at Nairobi Review as an editorial writer, at Hope Media (Hope TV and Hope FM) as a correspondent in Eldoret, Hivisasa.com digital content editor and online writer, at Biblia Husema Broadcasting (BHB), Eldoret as Radio Presenter. Email: Joshua.cheloti@tuko.co.ke
Emanuel Tarus I am professional multi-media journalist with eight years experience as a field-based correspondent. Integrity, objectivity and adherence to ethical standards are my guiding principles in journalism. I am based in Trans Nzoia county and very passionate about gender, crime, environment and climate change reporting. I am also interested in health, human interest, development, leadership and governance beats. In the future, I would like to specialize in diplomacy and geopolitics reporting to expand my reporting scope.
