The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives has thrown its weight behind Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale’s move to close substandard health facilities in the country. 

The union’s national general secretary, Seth Panyako, said health facilities cannot charge patients who are sharing beds. 

They said that cartels have been using such loopholes to steal from insurance funds, including the defunct NHIF and even the current SHA. 

They were speaking in Kisumu during a training of over 180 branch officials countrywide on capacity building, CBA negotiations, the roles of the two levels of government, and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. 

Panyako said that their clients deserve quality health services, and these services must not be compromised. 

“There is no way you can charge someone for a bed that three people have shared. We want to ask the heads of institutions we operate from to adhere to this bed capacity requirement as directed by the health CS,” he said.

Panyako noted that any hospital that wants to have more patients must have more beds moving forward and employ more nurses and doctors to enable Kenyans to receive quality care.

He further added that they are aware, as a union, that SHA has challenges, especially among those vulnerable people living in the rural areas who are being forced to contribute for an entire year. 

“A widow who has no house is being asked to pay Sh800, and another old grandmother is asked to pay Sh300 for a year. This is a thorn in the flesh of Kenyan people, and I urge the CS to look into it. These people are vulnerable; where are they supposed to get an entire year’s money to pay? We should give these groups of people free access to health,” Panyako added.

The nurses said they are concerned about the quality of healthcare being offered in facilities across the country. 

“Nurses will not work where there is not enough equipment and commodities. We have made our point on this issue. It is upon the government to provide enough of these; it will not be business as usual. Money is being sent to facilities; why are they not using those funds for their intended purpose?” said Collins Ajwang, president of the Nurses Association Union.