Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos. [Photo/Joe Khisa]
The county government of Elgeyo Marakwet has asked its striking nurses to resume work within 24 hours or face the sack.
Governor Alex Tolgos has further instructed the County’s Public Service Board to immediately commence a head count in all health facilities in the County.
In a statement send to newsrooms on Tuesday, Tolgos said the headcount will determine the number of nurses who will be freshly recruited if nurses will not have resumed work.
"Those who will be found working will keep their jobs while those who will be absent will be sacked forthwith," said Tolgos in the statement.
Once the headcount results gets to my office, we will declare the vacancies and issue an advertisement in the print media to ask qualified nurses to apply.
"This includes volunteers who have been assisting us," he added.
The Governor lamented that deteriorating healthcare system in the County had reached alarming levels hence the drastic action the County has taken.
"Everyday, I am bombarded with calls and text messages from County residents who continue to lose their loved ones because almost all our health facilities are not functional. It is very painful," he said.
Tolgos however said some nurses had already resumed work noting that many others were willing to return to work but were being incited by their local union officials.