Nationwide strike looms as nurses, clinical officers demand action from govt
The key issue driving the strike is the government's failure to convert contract nurses to permanent positions, as stipulated in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed with the union.
The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) has issued a nine-day nationwide strike notice, set to begin on Sunday, January 19, 2025, if the government fails to address their grievances.
The announcement, made during a press conference on Friday, places the country's healthcare system on high alert as a fresh industrial crisis threatens to disrupt essential services.
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The key issue driving the strike is the government's failure to convert contract nurses to permanent positions, as stipulated in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed with the union.
KNUN Chairperson Joseph Ngwasi said that the nurses have been working on temporary contracts for too long, and the government has not honoured its promise to transition them to permanent roles.
"If the nurses who are currently on contract are not given permanent postings in line with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, nurses will proceed on strike on 19 January," Ngwasi declared.
Adding to the unrest, KNUN raised concerns about the government's plan to register nurses under the Social Health Authority (SHA) through the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU). The union believes this move undermines its authority and seeks to weaken the nurses' independence.
"Currently, anaesthetists have been prohibited from obtaining pre-authorisation in hospitals by SHA because we are against SHA registration. We cannot have a Nursing Council in Kenya and a regulatory body, then be ordered to join the KMPDU body," Ngwasi explained.
KNUN further criticised the SHA for imposing restrictions that delay patient care.
The union argues that the requirement for approval from higher authorities for routine medical procedures hinders their ability to provide timely care.
"We are saying enough is enough. We are a profession. We are independent. We are capable of functioning and regulating ourselves through the Nursing Council of Kenya," stated KNUN Secretary General Seth Panyako.
This latest round of strike threats presents a major challenge to the Ministry of Health, which is already grappling with difficulties related to the transition to Taifa Care from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), medical worker strikes, and financial strains.
Similar grievances
Meanwhile, the National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNA-Kenya), which represents all nurse cadres in the country, has also warned of industrial action, citing similar grievances. NNA-Kenya President Collins Otieno urged the government to convert all Universal Health Coverage (UHC) nurses into permanent and pensionable terms.
Otieno also called for the recruitment of 50,000 additional nurses to fill gaps in staffing and improve patient care.
Otieno clarified that only certain groups of nurses would participate in the strike, including those hired under the Universal Health Coverage initiative in 2020 and anaesthetic nurses.
The group, alongside KNUN, is also pushing for a review of the implementation framework for the Social Health Authority.
"We need urgent reforms in the health sector to address the serious challenges we are facing, including the shortage of nurses and the impact of SHA regulations," Otieno said.
A meeting between the Ministry of Health and union officials is scheduled for Monday, January 13, 2025, in an attempt to resolve the disputes ahead of the planned strikes.
The looming strikes come at a time when the healthcare sector has faced numerous challenges, with the implementation of new policies like Taifa Care and the financial constraints faced by health institutions.
