The secretary general Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives Elgeyo Marakwet branch, Benson Biwott has raised an alarm over the acute shortage of nurses which has led to the closure of 32 rural health facilities denying residents health services.
Biwott said the number of nurses in the county had reduced from 675 nurses employed on permanent and pensionable terms to 333 saying the county government has not been employing new nurses.
Addressing the press in Iten, Biwott said nurses have been exiting the service through natural attrition, cross county transfers while others have left for greener pastures leaving the county operating on a skeleton staff.
The SG said Iten County and Referral Hospital (ICRH) having been upgraded to a Level 5 hospital requires 350 nurses and therefore the 333 nurses in the county are only enough for the county hospital.
He said ICRH which requires 350 nurses is operating with approximately 100 nurses while most of the 131 rural health facilities are manned by only one nurse forcing nurses to work day and night leading to exhaustion.
He said while the county has tried to have drugs and other equipment in health facilities, they require manpower for effective delivery of health services.
Biwott therefore called on the county government to start by confirming all nurses on contract while replacing all those who have left the service adding that should revert health services to the national government for effective management.
He said even as the county government endeavors to improve in other sectors to improve the economy it should be aware that it requires a healthy populace to achieve the goal.
By Alice Wanjiru and Joan Jelimo
