Expectant mothers in Nandi County are breathing a sigh of relief after health workers called off their four-day strike, following a successful Return to Work Agreement with the County Government.
The strike, which disrupted services in over 280 public health facilities and dispensaries, forced many pregnant women to seek help from midwives or opt for costly private hospitals.
During the strike, public hospitals were unable to provide maternity services, including deliveries, leaving expectant mothers stranded.
Jane Cherono, an expectant mother from Kapkangani village, Chesumei subcounty, who is due to deliver later this month, says she turned to a midwife at the Showground area for assistance.
Cherono expressed her distress, stating that many women rely on free maternal services offered at public hospitals.
“The strike left many of us in distress. We hope this won’t happen again. Many patients suffered, and we call on the county government to honour the agreement with health workers,” she said.
It was sparked by long-standing grievances, including delayed salaries, lack of medical cover, non-remittance of statutory deductions, poor working conditions, and the dismissal of several workers. These issues culminated in the closure of all public health facilities in the county.
Last month, the Nandi County Government dismissed over 1,800 workers from its payroll in an effort to cut down on the county’s wage bill. Among them were 500 health workers, resulting in a severe shortage across various cadres.
Governor Stephen Sang acknowledged the challenging situation, especially after the human resource audit, which led to the dismissal of several health workers due to irregularities in their employment status. He assured that efforts are underway to address the staffing shortage.
“We’ve agreed that certain cadres were not included in the previous advertisement for the positions, but a second advertisement will be released on Tuesday, followed by a third on Friday. We are fast-tracking the recruitment process to ensure that all staff affected by the revocation of employment letters are reinstated as soon as possible,” Sang said.
To reinforce the health sector and other essential services, the County Government recently advertised 245 job openings in various departments, including health, administration, public service, and ICT. The vacancies, posted by the Nandi County Public Service Board on October 4th, are offered on permanent and pensionable terms.
The County Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the health sector to prevent future disruptions and ensure consistent access to maternity and other essential services for all residents.
By Linet Wafula
