Nurses down tools in Embu over contracts

Operations at the Embu Teaching and Referral Hospital were on Monday paralysed after a section of nurses downed their tools citing frustrations from the County Health Department.

The over 40 nurses employed under contractual terms vowed to boycott work until the health department gives them the same treatment as those under permanent and pensionable terms.

Only a few nurses with the assistance of clinical officers and doctors were available to attend to patients in the wards. At the outpatient section, patients complained of the slow pace with which they were being attended.

Led by their representatives Kayzia Njeru and Harrison Njagi, the nurses who claimed to have worked on contract for five years lamented the failure to employ them fully.

They said the health department has employed nurses thrice and no one was called for interviews despite assurances in 2014 that they would be given priority when job opportunities arise.

“It is painful that since then, more nurses have been employed under permanent and pensionable terms and none of us has been considered. Employment here is selective. Even as we speak, recruitment of nurses are ongoing,” said an agitated Njeru.

The nurses also claimed they suffer due to poor pay and their attempts to reach out to the Health Senior Management to address the matter were ignored.

Njagi claimed that NHIF and NSSF deductions had not been remitted for the past several months making them unable to access such services.

“We shall not sign any other contract until the terms are revised to be the same as those of permanent and pensionable employment,” he said.

County Health Executive Jamlek Muturi said the matter would be resolved after an eight-day Arusha trip where CECs and MCAs from the County have gone to learn on budgeting.