Health services in Embu paralysed as workers strike over salary delays

Health services across Embu County have been paralysed after healthcare workers officially downed their tools following the expiry of a seven-day strike notice issued to the county government.

Speaking to the media outside the Embu County headquarters, Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Embu Branch Chairperson Macharia Kanderi said the county government failed to engage workers or address their grievances despite receiving the strike notice.

Kanderi stated that although the county administration had written to unions informing them of delays in the payment of April salaries, it did not specify when the salaries would be paid.

He further noted that statutory deductions from workers’ salaries had also not been remitted to the relevant institutions on time, worsening the financial burden on employees.

According to Kanderi, the strike will affect services in all public health facilities across the county, with only critical services being maintained.

He said ICU patients and children would continue receiving medical attention, while all other services in public hospitals would remain suspended.

Kanderi advised residents seeking medical care to seek assistance from private health facilities during the strike period.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Clinical Officers’ Union, Aloysius Njoka, criticised the county administration over alleged threats directed at workers who failed to report to their work stations during the strike.

Njoka said it was inappropriate for the County Secretary to intimidate workers instead of addressing the concerns raised by healthcare staff.

He further called on the Embu County Government to clearly explain the reasons behind the salary delays and provide timelines for payment to affected workers.