HOLA – Nurses in Tana River County have declared they will remain on strike until both the National Government and county governments implement the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and address their long-standing grievances.
The nurses, under the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), say they have formally notified the Tana River County Government that they will not resume work until their demands are met.
Among their key demands is the implementation of the 2017 CBA. They have also accused the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors of delaying the absorption of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) nurses into permanent and pensionable employment.
KNUN Tana River Branch Secretary Richard Onchiri said the union is also demanding the reinstatement of nurses who were dismissed during a previous strike in the county.
“We have officially joined our colleagues across the country in this strike. Nurses have been patient for a long time since the signing of the 2017 CBA. The strike will continue until our demands are met,” Onchiri said.
He added that while nurses remain committed to caring for patients, they cannot continue working without their welfare concerns being addressed.
National Deputy Chair of the Union of Kenya Civil Servants chapter for nurses and midwives, Damon Kwaraa, said the strike would only end if the government demonstrates commitment by opening dialogue and allocating funds to implement the outstanding CBA.
Kwaraa maintained that UHC nurses should no longer be employed on temporary terms, insisting they deserve permanent and pensionable appointments.
He said the union would only consider calling off the strike once the government allocates the required budget and county assemblies approve funding for the implementation of the agreement. Until then, he said, the industrial action will continue.
