Nurses have threatened to down their tools if the county government does not pay their salaries and allowances within two weeks.
The health workers in Kisumu warned that they would boycott work on April 14 unless their demands are met.
Their grievances include delayed salaries and missing allowances and shortage of drugs and pharmaceuticals in public health facilities. The Kenya Union of Clinical Nurses Kisumu branch chairman, Mr Eric Ondieki, complained of delays in employing nurses previously brought on board under the economic stimulus programme (ESP).
He said that the union’s attempts to engage the county authorities had fallen on deaf ears.
“County leaders are unwilling to end these disputes despite various attempts to have then do so,” Mr Ondieki said.
Most health workers had not received uniform and risk allowances despite the county’s assurances. But Kisumu Health executive Elizabeth Ogaja said that funds have already been set aside to improve the welfare of workers deployed in the county. She vowed to resolve the impasse.
“We are aware that some of the health workers have not received their allowances and salaries, but we are working on a solution to end the stalemate,” Dr Ogaja said.
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