In today’s executive briefing to the nation, President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered the striking nurses to resume work by Friday, February 15th, or face stern action that will be taken by the government.
Additionally, the president also gave a strict directive to the National Police Service to make arrests to any nurses who will be found playing an active part in the strike during working hours.
While making his presidential address to the press this morning, a disappointed Uhuru Kenyatta gave a stern warning to any nurse who would fail to take his directive seriously, stating they would further face dismissal by the Ministry of Health and by the County Government.
The nurses strike kicked off when nurses from four major referral hospitals in the country banded together and informed the government that they would not go back to work until all the demands they had spelt out had been met.
Their call to strike came after the Health ministry extended an invite to nurses union officials to attend a meeting at the NSSF headquarters.
That being said, the 300 nurses currently striking are stationed at the health department of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the national blood bank, the National Spinal Injury Referral Hospital, as well as the Mathari Mental Hospital.
Major Health Crisis
The striking nurses have resulted in the paralysation of facilities in the respective health institutions.
Nevertheless, operations at the Kenyatta National Hospital were normal because the institution was unaffected by the strike.
The 300 nurses first staged a peaceful demonstration on November 2, 2017, chanting slogans and carrying placards that stated their grievances as they entered the central business district
They also protested the failure of the ministry to put into effect the deal that was initially signed by the Council of Governors and Knun on November 2, 2017.
Indeed, the nurses are unhappy that their agreements have yet to be executed!