KNH Nurses Call Off Strike After Deal with Gov’t

Nurses at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) have called off their strike following successful negotiations with the government.

In a statement on Tuesday, April 14, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the breakthrough came after hours of talks between hospital management and the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives. 

"I am pleased to announce that the industrial action by nurses at Kenyatta National Hospital has been officially called off following hours of intensive and constructive negotiations between Hospital Management and the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives," the statement read.

Duale highlighted the collaborative efforts that led to the resolution, praising both parties for their commitment to dialogue and compromise.

"On behalf of the Ministry of Health, I wish to sincerely thank both negotiating teams for demonstrating goodwill, professionalism, and a shared commitment to resolving the issues at hand. 

"Their willingness to come to the table, engage candidly, and expedite the process has led to an agreed return-to-work formula that addresses key concerns raised by our nurses," the statement added.

Duale outlined the key areas covered in the agreement, noting that the deal addresses long-standing concerns affecting nurses’ welfare and working conditions.

"The agreement reached covers critical areas, including improvement of medical cover, structured promotions, measures to address workload challenges, and the progressive conversion of nurses on contract to permanent and pensionable terms, amongst others. These are important steps toward strengthening staff welfare, motivation, and retention within our health system," the statement continued.

Duale also commended the hospital’s management for maintaining essential services during the strike while remaining open to resolving the dispute.

"I also wish to commend the Management of Kenyatta National Hospital for their openness, flexibility, and commitment to finding lasting solutions, while ensuring continuity of essential services during this period. 

"As we move forward, the focus must now shift firmly to delivering quality, timely, and compassionate healthcare services to all Kenyans. I urge all nurses to resume duty promptly and continue to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and patient care that KNH is known for," the statement further read.

Duale further assured that the government will closely monitor the implementation of the agreement to avoid future disruptions.

"The Ministry will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure full implementation of the agreed resolutions within the stipulated timelines. 

"Mechanisms for continuous engagement and monitoring have been put in place to prevent recurrence of such disruptions and to foster a more responsive and supportive working environment," the statement concluded.

On Monday and the better part of Tuesday, operations at KNH were disrupted after nurses downed their tools in protest.

The strike, which began on Monday morning followed a breakdown in talks between hospital management and the nurses.

Notably, efforts by the hospital's Chief Executive Officer, Richard Lesiyampe, to engage the striking staff and restore normalcy were in vain.

Lesiyampe acknowledged the concerns raised by the nurses and pointed to ongoing efforts to address longstanding issues at the institution, stating:

"My dear nurses, I came here six months ago and I found a lot of problems, and you showed me all the problems. I have been trying to solve one problem at a time, we can't finish all of them in six months," he said.