Nurses in the country have urged county governments to harmonise their salaries in a bid to achieve equality between nurses employed by the national government and the county.
Speaking to journalists during the nurses week in Kilifi, the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Treasurer George Shiveka said there was need to look into the issue since it was directly affecting the morale of nurses.
“We as nurses are determined to give better services to patients at the hospital but the disparities in salaries and wages between nurses employed by the county government and national government demoralizes some of us,” said Shiveka.
Shiveka urged the county governments to harmonise the salaries especially when it comes to job groups and work closely with the union when dealing with issues concerning nurses in the country.
The Nursing Council of Kenya Chairman, Thadius Mayaka, said the council would be very strict when it comes to training nurses, so as to improve the quality of nursing in the country.
“As a council we are going to be very strict with the training and practice of nursing in this country. This will enable us provide quality health care for all Kenyans, said Mayaka.
Speaking during an event held in commemoration of the founder of modern nursing Florence Nightgel, the national chair for National Nurses Association of Kenya, Winnie Shena, urged county governments to offer training to nurses so that they can specialise in their area of work.
“We understand the government is giving support in basic training for nurses. We now want the county governments to support nurses in specialising so that they can give better health services at the county levels,” said Shena.
She added that the union will help the county government of Kilifi in flagging off a cervical cancer campaign as a way of promoting better health care in the county.