Agony for patients as striking staff stay away from Meru hospitals

When Meru healthcare workers staged a protest at the Meru Level Five Hospital over unresolved grievances on Dec 21, 2020. [File, Standard]

A crisis has hit Meru County's health sector following a strike of health workers that has paralysed operations in all public facilities.

This follows complaints from workers over alleged inadequate staffing, lack of promotions, and other unresolved grievances.

A spot check by The Standard across a number of facilities observed little activity as patients were forced to seek treatment in private facilities.

Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital, which serves residents and patients from neighbouring counties, remained largely deserted as health staff stayed away from various departments.

Union officials said they would not resume work as they accused the Executive of reneging on previous collective bargaining agreements on promotions and staffing.

Among workers who resorted to industrial action and paralysing services were doctors, clinical officers, and nurses.

Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Upper Eastern Chairman Dennis Mugambi said the 144 doctors in Meru, and others on strike, felt aggrieved that the Executive had not honoured a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed between them on October 6, 2023.

Dr Mugambi said the Union and Executive had agreed that County Public Service Board issue letters of appointment for all common cadre doctors from Job Group M-N, by November 23.

The implementation in the payroll was to be done from April 1, 2024, and any arrears factored in the 2024/2025 budget.

"None of the grievances has been addressed. Everyone is on strike," Dr Mugambi said.

Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) Meru Secretary Moses Baiyenia said among the issues the Executive government had failed to resolve were pending promotions.

"One of our grievances is the promotion of clinical officers, where out of 200 clinical officers, 150 are due," Mr Baiyenia said.

Nurses union chairman Bakari Mugambi said an August 17, 2023 agreement remained unfulfilled and 900 nurses are affected.

County Secretary Dr Kiambi Atheru said the Executive was addressing all the issues nurses, doctors, and clinical officers had raised.

"All the concerns they have raised are associated with the budget which is pending in the assembly," Dr Atheru said.

"We have asked them to wait for the budgeting to be completed at the assembly so that we can begin the process," he added.

He said the County Public Service Board, which was conducting internal advertisement for staff, will implement the promotions and recruitment once the budget is passed.

Governor Kawira Mwangaza said the Executive had addressed the concerns about the lack of drugs at some hospitals.