Health officials in Migori County on Monday announced 'a major strike' beginning Friday this week over delayed promotions.
At least 550 nurses drawn from the eight sub-counties have vowed to boycott work at the 209 health facilities until their grievances are addressed by the county Government.
"We will only call off the strike when our demands are met. We need our promotions to be effected immediately and re-designation of nurses who were upgraded from certificate to diploma," said Catherine Tingo, the branch Secretary of the Kenya National Union of Nurses.
She also pressed for the payment of arrears of those recently promoted to ensure harmony, further asking the residents to take their patients to private health facilities in the county until when the strike will be called off.
"Don't bother coming to public hospitals because we will not be there to admit or to treat patients," said Ms Tingo.
The union's Vice - Chairman Mosse Mariga and deputy secretary Ndoro Mikah said past meetings with the county administration had borne them little fruits.
Early this month, the Migori County Government promoted 300 nurses and clinical officers but the union lamented that the 'promotions have not been reflected in our pay-slips'.
"Those promotions are just on paper and our members are yet to receive the money," said Ms Tingo.
The promotions mainly targeted nurses and clinical officers, who had complained of stagnating in their job groups for years.
In a rejoinder, however, Health Department Chief Officer Dalmas Oyugi differed with the nurses saying 'the promotions are real and not hot air'.
"We have issued letters promoting some of them, they should appreciate that promotions are continuous processes and not a one-off thing," he stated.
Nurses demonstrating over meager pay in the past strike.Courtesy/mymobiledoc.org