Trans Nzoia leadership led by CEC for Health Dr. Pepela Wanjala has appealed to Kenya National Union of Nurses Trans Nzoia chapter to hold dialogue with the County health leadership and call off the planned demonstrations slated after the end of 21days.
The Kenya National Union of Nurses in Trans Nzoia led by its Secretary General George Cheruiyot has blamed Trans Nzoia leadership over several issues affecting nurses in the County ranging from poor working conditions, non promotion of its members as well as intention of Trans Nzoia leadership to employ the new Chief Officer for cooperative which it has resisted.
The union blamed the intention of the County Government to employ the new Chief Officer for Health cooperative claiming the two officers’ job will be compromised as the former regime tried to employ two Chief Officers who ended up fighting instead of working for residents.
The sentiments of the union secretary was echoed by the chairman of the union Cyprian Nyakundi who stated that for the past four years, no promotion of its staff has been witnessed as well as increment of salaries amongst nurses noting that there has been no meeting between County leadership and union officials of chatting a way forward for nurses plight.
However on his part, Health CEC Dr. Pepela Wanjala disputed the claims noting that the union has had a meeting with the union twice since the year began and that they discussed several issues affecting nurses among them improvement of working conditions for nurses, salary increment as well as employment of some other nurses.
Wanjala called upon the union to desist opposing the intention of County Government employing another Chief Officer claiming that was the prerogative of the County administration under Governor Natembeya and that the union should focus its energy on nurses’ welfare that need to be addressed.
“Nurses union must stick to its role of representing issues affecting it’s members ranging from welfare and not propose to the County administration on what it needs to do when it comes to matters employment, this is administrative,” claimed Dr. Pepela
He however stated that several issues that have been put in place including employment of other staff to help address inefficient staff in County hospitals, improve the working conditions of staff and called them for a meeting that Will iron out their differences.
