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Tag: Kenya nurses

  • Kenya Nurses insist planned strike is still on

    Kenya Nurses insist planned strike is still on

    The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) has maintained that its planned nationwide strike, set to begin on July 7th, 2025, is still on.

    Union Secretary General Seth Panyako has mobilised members of the National Advisory Council to meet next Friday to ratify the strike notice issued earlier this month to both the county and national governments, citing unresolved grievances.

    The union expressed regret that the government has yet to address the nine critical issues outlined in the 26-day notice.

    According to the union, nurses have continued to work under precarious conditions, which has created disparities in employment and insecurity with the public health system.

    Among the listed demands is the conversion of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) nurses to permanent and pensionable.

    In the letter, the union requests all Nursing Officers in charge to grant healthcare workers three days off duty from June 26th to 28th, 2025, to enable them to attend the special meeting scheduled for next Friday.

    “We have invited the National Advisory Council to a meeting to ratify the Nationwide Strike Notice, which is set to commence on 7th July, 2025. The Members of the Union are hereby requested to continue mobilising in order to ensure 100 per cent participation in the Strike”, Panyako said.

    The union has also cited failure to implement the Return to Work Formula agreed upon on November 2, 2017, and accused county governments of neglecting to finalise Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).

    Additionally, the union is demanding preauthorization for nurse anaesthetists and empanelment of nursing health facilities by the Nursing Council of Kenya.

    The union further cited failure by the government to remit third-party deductions also remains unresolved.

    The Nine Demands

    1. Failure to Convert UHC Nurses to Permanent and Pensionable Terms Nurses employed under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program
    2. Failure to Implement the New SRC Salary Structure for 2024 contained in SRC circular
    3. Failure to implement Return to Work Formula of 2nd November,2017.
    4. Failure by the County Government to negotiate and conclude CBAs
    5. Illegal deduction of Agency Fee by Kenyatta National Hospital.
    6. Failure by the Ministry of Health to transfer budget and grants to Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital.
    7. Failure to address acute nurse shortage in the public health facilities.
    8. Preauthorization of reuse anesthetists and empanelment of nursing health facilities registered by the Nursing Council of Kenya.
    9. Failure to remit 3rd party deductions.

     

     

     

     

  • We believe in diplomacy, we will not strike-Nurses

    We believe in diplomacy, we will not strike-Nurses

    Kenyan nurses have maintained they are on duty and will not join the ongoing countrywide strike by doctors and clinicians.

    The medics through the umbrella body Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) said they will not give in to pressure to down their tools since the government has already shown goodwill by engaging the union concerning pressing issues.

    The union stated its position after a meeting of the National Executive Council. KNUN Secretary General Seth Panyako told journalists that the meeting was called to address issues of Collective Bargaining Agreement signing, Interns posting and stipend payment and UHC nurses’ absorption.

    “With regards to the current disruptions in the Health Sector in the country pertaining to the posting of interns and the absorption of UHC employees to Permanent and Pensionable Terms, the Kenya National Union of Nurses has been keen on handling the issues with relevant institutions” he said.

    “Therefore, it is important to note that, despite the demands from pre-nursing interns, the union has not issued a strike notice yet as we believe in diplomacy and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms” he added.

    While reading their resolutions after wider consultations with their officials drawn from across the country, Panyako emphasized that the issues are pertinent and need immediate action.

    The union expressed optimism with ongoing negotiations. “There is good progress at both levels of government towards signing the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the union, and they are planning for a meeting next week for conclusion” he said.

    The statement also signed by the National Chairman and Treasurer urged pre-nurse interns to remain patient as the officials deal with the issue of their posting and review of stipend payment to conform with the Schemes of Service.

    “Additionally, we will proceed to take other legal measures, if need be, in relation to the circular that reduced the intern’s pay from the previous job group K to a lower stipend pay” the union assured.

    “ To make this process more open, effective and efficient, we ask the nurse interns and UHC nurses to appoint two representatives each, to accompany us to MOH for our forthcoming meeting” he said.

    Panyako further welcomed a move by the government to approve the employment of UHC nurses into Permanent and Pensionable terms effective 1 June 2024.

    “Through our engagement, the government has agreed to hire more nurses and other health workers”, he said.

    However, the union is urging the two levels of Government to immediately pay the March 2024 salary and release all pending statutory and third-party deductions.

    The latest development comes hot on the heels of a government offer aimed at ending a week-long doctors strike that has severely disrupted health services in public hospital.

    The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has turned down the Ksh 2.4B offer.

    State House Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service Felix Koskei on Tuesday announced that the monies will allow for the posting of all eligible medical student interns, inviting those eligible to pick letters from Thursday.