Trans Nzoia County nurses have given an ultimatum of 48 hours to the leadership of the County or they’ll down their tools, citing the lack of February, March salary payments and a lack of Personal Protective Equipment provision, to handle any Coronavirus cases. Speaking on Thursday to the media led by the Kenya National Union of Nurses Trans Nzoia secretary Willy Sifuna and the KNUN County chairman Edward Cheruiyot gave the County leadership 48 hours to respond to their grievances. “We have given the County government a 48-hour ultimatum to respond to our cries, failure to which we shall tell our members to down their tools because we cannot endanger our lives while the County is not ready to take care of our health status as well as our interests,” said Sifuna.
They have noted that there is no good working relationships between the County government and the nurses, adding that Trans Nzoia Governor Patrick Khaemba, the Health CEC and the Chief Officer have not been working in unison. They said health workers are being forced o attend to patients without proper health equipment which has exposed them to risks, and that they won’t attend to patients with Covid-19 symptoms. Concerning Trans Nzoia Health CEC Claire Wanyama’s comments that the County government has trained 200 health workers to deal with any Covid-19 cases, the Union County secretary rubbished the claims, saying it was just a public relations act.
He also faulted the manner in which employment of nurses has been done in the County, claiming those employed need to be well trained before being sent to work in various stations as they don’t have the necessary qualifications to practice. His sentiments were echoed by the Trans Nzoia KNUN Chairman Edward Cheruiyot who said nurses are being treated unfairly and that they aren’t motivated.
On his part, the Trans Nzoia County Workers Union secretary Samuel Kiboi claimed all health workers are going to down tools if their grievances will not be taken care of. He claimed money is being looted by the County administration without procuring the workers’ Personal Protective Equipment and urged Governor Khaemba to reshuffle his Cabinet by placing the right people in the Health docket.
