Nurses in Kisumu county have vowed to go on strike should the county government of Kisumu fail to pay them their delayed salaries.
Speaking to the members of the press outside the county government premises on Tuesday evening, the nurses’ union leaders accused the county government of Kisumu of failing to pay their overdue salaries, stretching to over three months.
“How do they expect us to survive, owing to the current high cost of living, pay our rent arrears and also pay fees for our children without salaries,” they posed.
The leaders further faulted the county over the delayed promotion of nurses, failure to employ adequate nurses to replace those who have retired, as well as those who have opted out of their jobs abroad.
“Some nurses in Kisumu have worked for six to seven years without being promoted, despite having degrees and masters,” they angrily lamented.
The county government, apart from failing to upgrade the nurses, has also declined to take the initiative to employ more nurses, the resource further being outshined by number if patients.
On the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the nurses union leadership said despite taking the document to for implementation, the county authority has declined to upheld the agreement.
They called upon the county government of Kisumu to advertise and recruit the county director of nurses, they said would champion the interest of nurses in the county.
Kisumu nurses join their colleagues in Bungoma and Homabay counties, who had given a notice of strike, calling for solution by their counties.
Among the grievances raised include, poor working conditions, health insurance and promotions, as stated by the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN).
The union had further declared Sunday, January 19, as the start of national wide strike by nurses, if their grievances are not met.
However, CS Health Deborah Mulongo had earlier met with the unions officials, to help avert the strike, that could cause health paralysis across county hospitals in the country.
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