UHC, theatre nurses threaten strike over terms

Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary General Seth Panyako address the media on September 5, 2024, as the union issued a strike notice. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Two categories of nurses have announced plans to down their tools starting January 19, a move that is likely to paralyse healthcare services across the country.

Nurses contracted under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme and anaesthetic practitioners are pushing the national government to address their grievances.

The UHC nurses, who are at least 2,700 in number, are demanding permanent and pensionable employment, while anaesthetic practitioners (those who apply anaesthesia in the operating theatres) are calling for independence in their operations. 

Speaking to the press yesterday, the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives(KNUN) and Kenya National Nurses Association (KNNA) urged the government to resolve their grievances, warning that failure to meet their demands will disrupt essential services.

“If these grievances are not addressed, the nurses will go on strike at midnight on January 19, 2025,” warned Collins Ojwang’, the President of the Kenya National Nurses Association.

The failure to place nurses on permanent and pensionable terms has resulted in significant disparities in remuneration compared to their counterparts with permanent contracts. This has led to discrimination in practices, including exclusion from critical allowances such as service, commuter, health risk, and uniform allowances.

“We are recommending the immediate absorption of UHC nurses under permanent and pensionable terms, in line with the principle of equal pay for equal work,” added Mr Ojwang’.

Additionally, the union is demanding that all salary arrears owed to the employees be paid promptly.

The sentiments were echoed by KNUN Secretary General Seth Panyako, who confirmed that a strike notice had been issued across all 47 counties.

The industrial action was initially set to begin on January 13, 2025. However, following efforts by county governments to engage with the union, the strike has been postponed to January 19, 2025.

The union is currently consolidating and analysing data to determine the number of counties that have reached agreements to determine the ones that will likely take part in the strike.