Why KNH nurses have downed their tools

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Kenyatta National Hospital nurses on Monday downed tools protesting an attack on their colleague on Saturday.

The nurses are further set to use the opportunity to lobby for proper management at the facility as confirmed by Kenya National Union of Nurses Seth Panyako.

“Nurses have already withdrawn their services on grounds of security challenges at the hospital,” Panyako said.

A nurse at the KNH emergency room was attacked by a woman whose child had died at the hospital.

The nurse had gone to inform the said woman of the death of her son when the incident happened.

KNUN vice chairman Moses Chirchir said the attacker strangled the nurse leaving her unconscious.

The nurse, who is receiving treatment at the facility,  is lined up to see an ENT specialist to check the extent of the neck injuries.


Panyako lamented the lack of proper security for neither the nurses nor the patients admitted to the facility.

He cited the case of Cosmas Mutunga, a cancer patient who was reportedly murdered in November 2015.

Four people were charged with the offence.

He further raised concern over KNH management’s refusal to allow the facility’s nurses to join unions.

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