Mombasa, KENYA: With the signing of the CBA deal on Thursday, nurses were expected back to work on Friday but according to patients at Coast General Hospital, they are yet to report back.
The Council of Governors, Ministry of Health and Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) on Thursday signed a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) ending the five-month-long nurses’ strike.
Nurses had agreed to resume work on Friday, November 3 while the Government promised to remit withheld salaries by November 30.
A spot check by Baraka FM at Coast General hospital revealed that all though patients were being attended to at the hospital, the nurses had not yet reported back.
Some of the patients expressed their frustration following poor services that they had been receiving at the hospital.
Sameera Said she could not control her fury toward the poor treatment that her 9 year old brother has been receiving.
“We brought him here on 1st September where his foot was plastered. 9 months down the line, after x-rays, the doctors still say that his fractured leg is not yet healed and yet there is nothing that they are doing. I have been here since 8 am till noon.” Said Sameer.
A patient who wished to remain anonymous said that the doctor led him to the washroom to ask for money before signing the P3 form for him.
“I have been here since morning up to noon and all they keep telling me is that I should go back home because there is no medicine. I have been hearing the same thing since for 3 days now.” Said a mother who also wished to remain anonymous.
Efforts to talk to the hospital administration bore no fruits as they could not be reached.
Speaking to Baraka FM on phone, Nurses secretary general of Mombasa Peter Maroko said that not all nurses are back to work yet but are expected back latest 5pm of 3rd November.
“Most of them had travelled upcountry and that is why they have not reported, but by 5pm they should have reported.” said Mr. Maroko.
