Delivery of health services in various public hospitals in Kisumu County has been affected after nurses kicked off their strike this morning.
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (Russia) and the Kisumu County Hospital are some of the facilities that have been affected.
By the time of going to press, members of Russia Hospital top management were holed up in a meeting aimed at coming up with measures to minimize effects of the strike.
At the Kisumu County hospital, on the other hand, members of the press were not allowed to enter the compound.
However, patients could be seen streaming out of the hospital claiming they were not served due to the ongoing strike.
The strike is effect to a notice issued 19 days ago by the nurses threatening to go on strike starting today if their grievances would not have been addressed by the County Government.
In a letter addressed to the Kisumu County Public Service Board and the Kisumu County Secretary, they demanded the payment of Nursing Service Allowance and uniform allowance as indicated in an agreement signed by nurses and the National and County Governments on November 02, 2017.
This comes a time when doctors in the county are expected to meet county government leadership’ over the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
“Tomorrow 5th February 2019, we heed the call by @KisumuCountyKE to a meeting that will see the implementation of the CBA for Kisumu doctors,” tweeted Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists’ Board (KMPDU) Nyanza Chapter.
Moreover, the strike sadly comes as Kenyans join the rest of the World in marking this year’s edition of the World Cancer Day under the theme ‘I am and I will’.
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