Over 400 Kisumu Medics Locked Out of Hospital

Health workers on strike
Health workers during a strike in Kenya.
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Over 400 nurses and medics have been locked out of their workplaces in Kisumu County after the government moved to institute disciplinary measures against staff who have been on strike. 

According to an inside source at the county government, Health Chief Officer Gregory Ganda stated that the nurses had deserted their work by participating in the strike. 

The county government halted the payment of the 428 medics’ salaries and issued them with show-cause letters which they will need to respond to in 7 days. 

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
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“We as Kisumu County had responded to all the issues raised by the nurses, we don’t know why they are on strike,” he said.

“Those who do not respond to the show cause letters shall be deemed sacked by the county government,” Ganda added. 

The medics had been protesting poor working conditions in the hospitals in a protracted battle that started in 2020

They had dared Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o to sack them, promising not to go back to work until their demands were met.

Their grievances included salary arrears and Covid-19 hazard allowances, alleged failure to implement promotions, failure to issue letters of promotions, redesignation and confirmation.

The Kisumu health workers unions’ officials advised relatives with patients in public hospitals to look for alternative facilities to transfer them.

The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers and Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) officials in a joint statement said their demands must be met before they can return to work.

“Our members are dying at a very high rate. It’s so frustrating and demoralising at this particular time of this pandemic and frontline workers have to go on strike yet the BBI drive is still on,” Kisumu branch KUCO secretary Crause Okumu said.

Doctors protest outside the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on January 26, 2017.
Doctors protest outside the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on January 26, 2017.
Daily Nation