Kenyatta National Hospital building, Nairobi (file). Photo: Rotsee via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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KNCHR declares nurses strike a human rights crisis.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has declared the ongoing nurses' strike, now in its 37th day, a human rights and public health crisis. The commission said the dispute "cannot be allowed to develop into a wider public health emergency" and called for independent verification of reported deaths and structured negotiations.
Between 31 August and 2 September, 79 deaths were reported linked to disrupted services, including eight maternal deaths, 16 newborn deaths and 55 stillbirths. Maternity, neonatal, emergency, intensive care, dialysis, oncology, trauma, ambulance and referral services have all been affected.
Paediatrician Dr Supa Tunje said "most of the public healthcare facilities are not taking in admissions." Midwives Association vice-president Dr Eunice Atsali said the disruption has pushed women back to unsafe options, telling reporters "our women actually have gone back to giving birth in the village." Clinical Officers Association secretary-general Joseph Chibi warned that further delay would cost more lives.
What it means for Kibera
Residents who rely on public referral hospitals such as Kenyatta National Hospital and Mbagathi for maternity and emergency care face longer waits or turn-aways for as long as the strike drags on. The KNCHR's intervention adds pressure on the government and county governors to reach a deal on the outstanding 2017 collective bargaining agreement that triggered the walkout.
This story was put together by K N N from material first published by The Standard.
That was a Kibra News Network report, read by an A I voice.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has declared the ongoing nurses’ strike, now in its 37th day, a human rights and public health crisis. The commission said the dispute “cannot be allowed to develop into a wider public health emergency” and called for independent verification of reported deaths and structured negotiations.
Between 31 August and 2 September, 79 deaths were reported linked to disrupted services, including eight maternal deaths, 16 newborn deaths and 55 stillbirths. Maternity, neonatal, emergency, intensive care, dialysis, oncology, trauma, ambulance and referral services have all been affected.
Paediatrician Dr Supa Tunje said “most of the public healthcare facilities are not taking in admissions.” Midwives Association vice-president Dr Eunice Atsali said the disruption has pushed women back to unsafe options, telling reporters “our women actually have gone back to giving birth in the village.” Clinical Officers Association secretary-general Joseph Chibi warned that further delay would cost more lives.
What it means for Kibera
Residents who rely on public referral hospitals such as Kenyatta National Hospital and Mbagathi for maternity and emergency care face longer waits or turn-aways for as long as the strike drags on. The KNCHR’s intervention adds pressure on the government and county governors to reach a deal on the outstanding 2017 collective bargaining agreement that triggered the walkout.
KNN Newsroom is the staff byline for stories written, rewritten and edited at the Kibra News Network desk. Where a story credits an outside outlet, the original source is linked at the foot of the piece.
