Union calls for hiring of more nurses to bridge deficit

By Bryan Tumwa

Kakamega, Kenya: Kenya National Union of Nurses wants more nurses to be recruited in Kakamega County to boost provision of health services.

Kakamega County Knun Secretary General Renson Bulunya said there was an acute shortage of nurses in the county.

“Kakakamega County has approximately 1,370 nurses, we need an additional 4,800 nurses. We are now offering free maternity services and more staff should have been hired to cope with the high number of pregnant mothers seeking the services,” said the unionist.

He pointed out that nurses recruited under the Economic Stimulus Plan in 2010 have never been employed formally leading to a demoralised workforce.

A total of 172 such nurses are based in Kakamega while 57 others are on a capacity building programme.

Knun now wants all these nurses to be formally employed by the county government in addition to recruiting new nurses.

“600 nurses will clock retirement age this year yet there is already a huge shortage. The county government had begun recruiting new nurses to bridge the deficit but the process stalled after the national government called for suspension of the exercise,” noted Bulunya.

Uniform allowances

Bulunya, however, lauded the county government for remitting the full salaries and allowances of nurses.

Last year, the union had complained that their uniform allowances had not been paid.

“The County General Hospital and Lumakanda Hospital in Lugari are the worst affected. MCAs and other county officials have also been interfering with the running of some facilities,” he claimed.