Court suspends nurses’ strike

The court has suspended the on-going strike by Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) to allow conciliation process to be concluded by parties involved.

This comes after the Council of Governors (CoG) moved to court to challenge the legitimacy of the boycott which has seen health services in 11 counties crippled.

The court has, however, ordered both parties to attend the conciliation process initiated by Amb Ukur Yattani, the Cabinet Secretary in the ministry of labour and social protection.

“Subsequently after the meeting, the involved parties will be required to file a report in court. The matter will be mentioned in court for further directions,” noted Wycliffe Oparanya the chair of CoG.

The strike has been suspended for 60 days by the court.

READ: NURSES’ STRIKE BEGINS

Nonetheless, the nurses’ strike has entered its third day with Kiambu, Homa Bay and Marsabit counties expected to join the industrial action today.

The nurses are demanding implementation of the return-to-work formula by county governments which was signed in 2017.

So far, only three counties, Mombasa, Migori and Machakos have honored their pledges and implemented the formula that has increased their service and uniform allowances of Sh10,000 and Sh15,000 respectively.

Additionally, 15 more counties have shown commitment to pay the nurses their demands while 24 counties stay adamant despite the money budgeted for health being rolled out.

SEE ALSO: WHEN CEO DIES WITH SH14 BILLION INVESTOR MONEY

The Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) has blamed county bosses for handling the nurses welfare casually citing that the cumulative figures being asked for is not beyond affordability of their administrative unit.

“We are calling for the implementation of the return-to-work formula with immediate effect. It is wrong and unacceptable for innocent and poor patients with no option of accessing private medical services to be punished,” said Victor Gilo the program officer COFEK.

SEE ALSO: VIRTUAL HEALTH PROVIDED TO REFUGEES IN DADAAB FROM NAIROBI

“The pain, agony and even likely deaths of patients as a result of the nurses strike should be wholly and fully blamed on the County Governments, especially the governors who behave as if the health system is not devolved,” added Mr Gilo.