[The Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital in Nairobi’s Kayole. Photo/Courtesy]
Despite nurses ending a nationwide strike that started December 5, 2016, it has been revealed that most of the hospitals in Nairobi County are not offering health services.
Nurses ended their strike two months ago, after the Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) signed a Negotiated Agreement between the National government and County governments, through the Council of Governors (CoG).
During the signing of the agreement, County governments were represented by CoG Health Committee chairman governor Jack Ranguma (Kisumu), and CoG Human Resources-Labour and Social Security Committee chairman governor James Ongwae (Kisii).
Nurses were represented by Knun secretary general Seth Panyako and chairman John Biiy, in the presence of Health Cabinet Secretary Dr Cleopa Maillu, CoG chairman Peter Munya among other County and national government officials.
They then agreed to go back to work.
However, a first-time mother only identified as Mourine, who had taken her six-months old son for clinic at the Mama Lucy Hospital, February 21, 2017, was astonished arriving at the facility, all the way from Pipeline.
She told Hivisasa, that there were no nurses to attend to her son or to other patients, who sought medication at the Kayole-based facility.
"I brought my son for clinic now that he just turned six months. But surprisingly, I found one lady just at the entrance, who asked me what I had gone to do. She said they were issuing no treatment or any other services because both doctors and nurses were on strike,'' she narrated.
"She however attended to me, and asked me not to go back in case of anything, unless the strike ends, since she or any other person wouldn't attend to me because of the strike,'' added Mourine.
According to her, the middle aged 'nurse' said nurses or doctors at the hospital had received no salary since they downed tools, and most of them were demoralised from work, due to this.
"She said they are now looking for alternative means of survival, until the government resolves the ongoing dispute with medical officers,'' she narrated her talk with the 'nurse'.
Mourine's story adds to that of Knun's Panyako, who warned that the government was not willing to honour the agreement signed to end the nurses strike.
He said they would once again take to streets, to demand for a salary hike, if nothing is done.
This even as medical officers in Nairobi County, same day, took to streets, protesting lack of commitment by the County government, to address the strike.
They camped at City Hall, where governor Dr Evans Kidero assured them that he would meet five of their officials, next day (February 22), for talks about the same.
Doctors are however still on strike, paralysing health services countrywide.