The Kenya National Union of Nurses secretary Uasin Gishu branch John Bii has appealed to Parliament to pass the proposed Health Bill seeking the formation of the National Health Services Commission to deal with human resources issues affecting the sector.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Eldoret District Hospital on Monday, Bii said the Bill will help address the issues being raised by nurses such as their rights, poor working conditions, low and delayed pay.
"The members of Parliament have also seen that county governments are incapable of running the health docket since nurses have always been suffering. Our stand as a union is that health services should not have been devolved since proper mechanisms had not been put in place for its management and running," he said.
He said the proposed commission will be mandated to handle nurses’ emoluments, recruitment and promotions, and urged MPs to speed up the passage of the Bill in order to bring sanity to the health sector.
He also called on governors to ensure that health services are properly managed by improving the welfare of the nurses as a way of motivating them to provide quality services.