Health care disrupted: Nakuru referral hospital feels the impact of nurses’ strike

22 maternal deaths recorded last week amid ongoing nurses’ strike, with Nakuru among most affected counties

The nurses’ association says Kisumu, Nakuru, Kakamega and Kajiado are most affected, as 44 neonatal and 130 perinatal deaths are also reported.

The deaths were reported as nurses remain off duty for more than two weeks now, with clinical officers also striking, further disrupting health services across Nakuru County.

Rose Masita, Chairperson of the National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNAK) Nakuru Chapter, says the strike is likely to continue as nurses and the government have not reached a conclusive agreement.

“The strike is escalating and will not end any time soon because we have not had conclusive discussions,” she says.

Masita notes that the disruption is being felt across health facilities in Nakuru, where patients continue to experience delays in accessing services.

A spot check at the Nakuru Teaching and Referral Hospital (PGH) by Mtaa Wangu shows that the normally busy facility has seen a noticeable reduction in patient numbers during the strike, with fewer patients seeking services than usual.

The quieter-than-usual facility, with close to empty hallways, reflects the wider disruption in public health services, although the hospital has not provided figures showing the extent of the decline in patient numbers by the time of publication.

The figures come as nurses continue to push for a resolution to the dispute, which has kept them away from duty for more than two weeks.

“We will have a match on Tuesday and have requested protection from the police and look forward to it,” Masita says.

A young mother we spoke to was stranded at the facility after failing to find a nutritionist she had come seeking help from. With no one to guide her on what to do next, she said she had no choice but to wait.

Just last month, the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) Nakuru branch chairperson Seprin Kerubo noted the union was concerned that patients continued to suffer as negotiations between health workers and the county administration remained unresolved, all while clinical officers were striking alongside nurses.

The union noted that interns had been exposed to patients’ despite being required to work under supervision, arguing that the situation could compromise patient safety.

KUCO national chairperson Peterson Wachira, then, noted that the union had maintained some staff in theatres, critical care and other emergency areas despite the strike, but would withdraw them following the county government's failure to attend negotiations.

Wachira said the union has been in Nakuru for several days attempting to resolve the dispute, but county officials failed to attend the latest meeting and called on the county government to urgently return to negotiations and resolve the outstanding issues to allow health workers to resume duty.