BY KENYA NEWS AGENCY
Nandi County is facing a health crisis as more than 144 public health facilities have been shut down following a strike by medical workers.
The strike, which is in its second day, has left patients scrambling for services in private hospitals and the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret.
Patients seeking treatment at the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital, along with other subcounty facilities and dispensaries, have been turned away as health workers stage demonstrations in Kapsabet Town.
Dr Shadrack Tanui, the Medical Superintendent at Kapsabet Hospital, said the facility is experiencing a complete shutdown, with all medical officers having downed their tools.
The striking health professionals, who include clinical officers, nurses, nutritionists, lab technicians, public health officers, and others, have raised numerous grievances against the county government.
Among their demands are the reinstatement of medical coverage, promotions that have been delayed for over eight years, payment of delayed salaries, and the reinstatement of workers who were dismissed as ‘ghost workers’ following a human resources audit.
They cited a critical shortage of medical supplies, including drugs and gloves, as one of the reasons they are unable to provide services.
“Our promotions have been delayed for years, and we are working in unsafe conditions without supplies. Until our demands are met, all public health facilities, including dispensaries, will remain closed,” Nicodemus Chumba, Chairperson of Clinical Officers Nandi Branch, said.
In response to the escalating crisis, Nandi Deputy Governor Yulita Mitei acknowledged the health workers' frustrations but attributed the situation to the delayed disbursement of county funds from the National Treasury.
“We are making every effort to resolve the matter and have engaged in talks with the unions,” Mitei said.
“We have already paid the August salary, and we are processing salaries and expect to pay by the end of the week of September."
Mitei said the county conducted a human resources audit in March 2024 in consultation with various stakeholders, leading to the termination of some workers identified as ghost workers.
She said recruitment efforts are underway to fill the vacancies in phases, with no cadre left out.
Outlining the county's staffing levels, Mitei said there are currently 3,003 county employees, of whom 1,759 work in the health sector, including 568 nurses, 78 under Universal Health Coverage (UHC) contracts.
“We have prioritised the most affected areas in recent job advertisements and will continue to do so in the upcoming phases, a second recruitment advertisement is forthcoming,” she said.
The deputy governor said the county has run out of essential medical supplies due to financial constraints but said orders for drugs have already been placed with the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) and an additional local procurement of Sh10 million worth of supplies has been initiated.
Mitei urged health officers to give dialogue a chance, saying the county remains open to talks to end the stalemate.
“We are committed to honouring our promises, and promotions will be conducted in phases,” she said.
“Our priority is to ensure health services resume as soon as possible. There is no witch-hunt involved, and we are dedicated to working tirelessly to resolve this crisis.”
As the strike continues, the people of Nandi County remain caught up in a healthcare paralysis, with no clear end in sight unless negotiations between the county government and health workers yield a breakthrough.
Last week, the county government of Nandi advertised 245 job openings in the health, administration, public service, and ICT departments.
In an advertisement on its website on Thursday, October 4, the Nandi County Public Service Board noted the vacant positions were offered on permanent and pensionable terms.
“Nandi County Public Service Board wishes to recruit competent and qualified persons to fill the following positions on permanent and pensionable terms,” the advert stated.
The county asked interested and qualified candidates to hand deliver relevant academic and professional documents to the secretary of the Nandi County Public Service Board on or before October 25.