Health Services Paralysed as Kisumu Medics Go on Strike

Kisumu medics during a strike on February 15, 2017
Kisumu medics during a strike on February 15, 2017
File

The health sector in Kisumu County has been paralysed following a strike by medical practitioners. The health workers cited stalled 2016 promotion agreement and delay by the County government to respond to their strike notice which was issued on Tuesday, June 2.

A report by the Standard detailed that doctors, clinical officers, nurses, lab technicians and pharmacists are pressing the county under Governor Anyang' Nyong'o to promote health workers.

Nyong'o, however, argued that most of the issues had been addressed, pleading with the medics to return to work as Health Director-General Patrick Amoth, while speaking with Kenyans.co.ke affirmed that the National Government would not join mediation talks. 

Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o addresses the media at Kenya School of Government (KSG), Lower Kabete in Kiambu During a Consultative Devolution meeting on Thursday, February 20, 2020.
Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o addresses the media at Kenya School of Government (KSG), Lower Kabete in Kiambu During a Consultative Devolution meeting on Thursday, February 20, 2020.
Simon Kiragu
Kenyans.co.ke

"This is not the time to abandon patients, given the health challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic," Nyong'o urged as the strike entered its second day on Wednesday, June 10. 

Patients are being withdrawn from public hospitals, Kisumu County Hospital and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, as nurses urge them to seek private facilities for treatment.

However, what concerns both the County Government and Kisumu residents is the downing of tools by Covid-19 medics. The health practitioners assigned to isolation units in the two hospitals failed to report to duty.

With health stipulated as a devolved function in the Kenyan constitution, the National Government insisted that it would neither interfere nor join in mediation talks between Kisumu County and the striking medics.

"It would be unfair for me to comment on a single county. That's their human resource issue and they will handle it themselves. Even if the strike entails Covid-19 medics, we won't comment on the issue as Health is a devolved function," Health DG Patrick Amoth stated.

Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Kenya Union of Clinical Officers and Kenya Union of Medical Laboratory Officers, who are leading the strike reiterated their stance, vowing to stay home until the County Government meets their demands.

"We raised the complaints, but nothing has been done by our employer," KNUN Organising Secretary Maurice Opetu stated, urging Nyong'o to promote health workers. 

Patients leave Kisumu County Hospital after medics went on a strike on Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Patients leave Kisumu County Hospital after medics went on a strike on Tuesday, June 9, 2020
File