The Mombasa County Government has announced the immediate recruitment of 573 nurses in a bid to maintain healthcare services as the nationwide nurses’ strike enters a new phase.
Governor Abdullswamad Sheriff Nassir said the recruitment would ensure patients continue receiving treatment in public hospitals while the dispute is resolved through ongoing negotiations and the courts.
“The County Government’s foremost responsibility is to protect life and guarantee the continuous delivery of essential services,” Nassir said during a press briefing on Friday.
According to the governor, negotiations on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) are already underway, while matters relating to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff and career progression guidelines are also being addressed through the appropriate legal and intergovernmental channels.
Nassir said the Council of Governors would challenge the strike in court, insisting some of the grievances cited by the Kenya National Union of Nurses are either already under discussion or have previously been settled through court decisions.
Despite the legal action, the governor appealed to nurses in Mombasa to resume duty, saying the county has maintained a positive working relationship with its healthcare workforce over the years.
“I remain hopeful that these engagements will yield an amicable solution in the best interests of both healthcare workers and the public,” he said.
He stressed that while nurses have a constitutional right to strike, residents also have a constitutional right to access healthcare.
Nassir condemned reports that some individuals had attempted to intimidate healthcare workers and chase patients away from health facilities, describing such actions as unacceptable.
“We will not tolerate any attempts to deny residents medical services or disrupt healthcare delivery,” he said.
The governor clarified that no nurse has been dismissed over the industrial action, adding that those who return to work following the court’s determination will continue serving as county employees.
“If the courts say the strike was illegal and they are meant to come back to work, they are my employees. I will not do anything to them and I welcome them back,” he said.
He added that Mombasa has a sufficient pool of qualified nursing professionals and expressed confidence that the recruitment process would ensure public hospitals continue operating without interruption.
“There shall be no disruption of healthcare services in Mombasa. Every resident who walks into a public health facility in Mombasa must receive the care they need,” Nassir said.