By Elizabeth Mwibanda, Bungoma
The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) in Bungoma has officially kicked their strike after the 21-day notice issued on December 18, 2024, elapsed.
Speaking at Bungoma Pediatric Hospital, Mr David Wamalwa, the branch secretary, highlighted key issues that have been under negotiation with the Ministry of Health since 2022 but remain unresolved, forcing nurses to stay at home until action is taken.
Wamalwa stated that the Department of Health has not engaged the union on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) they signed, a situation the union termed as undermining labor relations and collective bargaining principles.
“We are calling upon the Health department to register and implement the CBA fully for the nurses to begin enjoying the benefits before we go back to work,” he said.
“The national government began the process of registering the CBA in August last year and they have already registered. They are in the process of implementation but the county government of Bungoma has not moved a single step,” he added.
The County Public service board sent a good number of health care workers home after working on a contract for over ten years and have not been paid for the last six months and this has led to about 90 per cent of them being psychologically tortured.
“As a union we expected that the County Public Service Board will absorb our health care workers from the hospital board to the service board as a way of appreciating them but they have been left out disappointed for being left out,” said Wamalwa
He urged the public service board to reconsider their decision by absorbing and giving them their personal number for their payment to be processed on time.
The secretary general further stated that the Ministry should consider employing more nurses to reduce the current shortage they are experiencing.
“The health executive has been moving around upgrading health care facilities and today Bungoma County Referral Hospital is at level 5 receiving Sh300million equitable shares but the current staff is of the level 3 hospital, and so we want replacement for the retired nurses to get to a total of about 500 from the current total of 180 nurses,” he said
He further stressed on the county government to take the data of every health care worker in the county and promote those that have qualified, adding that promotion will boost their morale and dedication to work,
However, the comprehensive medical cover has been an issue of concern to all health care workers at the Level (V) hospital where they cannot be treated from the same hospital they are working, but rather should seek treatment from other facilities.
“The outline of SHA is a big challenge to the health care workers especially those who are on duty as they are required to get back to the dispensaries in rural area to get treatment and this will risk the life of a patient he’s attending to in the hospital he’s working,”
“We urge the government to bring a working and comprehensive medical cover with a recognized institution that is reliable, affordable and readily accessible to help ease the financial strain, “he said.
He lastly emphasized that the human resource management should consider promotion, re-designation and confirmations so that they be uploaded on the public notice for people to confirm after every three months so that incase of any complaint there will be a reference from the board.
The union has promised to attend to the patients that are admitted and that they are ready to go back to work immediately the issues have been addressed.
