The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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The Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) has expressed concern about a significant number of nurses leaving county-run hospitals in Uasin Gishu, which is jeopardizing the quality of medical services in the region.
Knun Secretary, Kleen Mutai, highlighted the issue, noting that a considerable portion of nurses, particularly those aged between 21 to 35, are resigning to seek better opportunities abroad. Over the past three years, approximately 120 out of 500 nurses have departed from Uasin Gishu County hospitals.
Mutai emphasized that this exodus has led to the closure of facilities in cases where the responsible nurse falls ill, indicating the severity of the staffing crisis.
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Most of the departing nurses are migrating to countries like the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Finland, according to Mutai.
In a press conference in Eldoret, Mutai attributed the mass departure to factors such as inadequate pay, lack of career advancement opportunities, understaffing, and poor working conditions. He expressed regret over the loss of specialized healthcare workers, particularly those trained in critical areas like the Intensive Care Unit, exacerbating the shortage.
Mutai urged the Uasin Gishu County Government to allocate more resources to the healthcare sector to mitigate the staffing challenges, especially in Level 3 and Level 4 hospitals.
He also highlighted concerns about the patient-nurse ratio, particularly in Level 2 public hospitals in remote areas of the county, where a single nurse often manages a facility, leading to service inadequacies.
Mutai called upon Governor Jonathan Bii’s administration to urgently address the nurse shortage, emphasizing the importance of accessible healthcare for residents who cannot afford private facilities.
