Nairobi — The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives has defended nurses at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital amid complaints about patient care, while calling on authorities to address staffing shortages, congestion and other challenges affecting service delivery.
The Union, led by Secretary General Seth Panyako, acknowledged concerns raised by patients and their families but cautioned against blaming the entire nursing workforce for problems it said required institutional solutions.
Speaking during a press briefing in Kisumu, Panyako said patients deserved quality, dignified and compassionate care, while nurses also needed a safe working environment and protection from public harassment.
The Union acknowledged that some healthcare workers might have failed to meet professional standards, saying such cases should be investigated and addressed through established accountability procedures.
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"Protecting nurses and safeguarding patients are complementary responsibilities, not competing interests," the Union said in its official statement.
The Union identified staff shortages, inadequate resources, congestion and heavy workloads as challenges requiring urgent attention from hospital management and relevant authorities.
It called on the Ministry of Health, the Kisumu County Government, the hospital's board of management and the Nursing Council of Kenya to work together to investigate the complaints and develop lasting solutions.
Jaramogi Nurses' Union Secretary Kelvin Muhatti said the hospital had undergone significant expansion following its transition to a Level Six referral facility, with its bed capacity increasing from 500 to 900.
He said the expansion had increased demand for staff and other resources, underscoring the need to address challenges affecting service delivery.
Muhatti also urged members of the public to report specific cases of alleged misconduct through official channels rather than condemn the entire nursing workforce.
"It is unfair to tarnish every nurse's name in the name of one person [who] did this," he said.
He added that nurses had continued serving patients under demanding conditions, including working extra hours and shifts during a national strike.
Marina Otieno, a nursing officer at the hospital and organising secretary of the nurses' union chapter, said the union had heard the public's concerns and was committed to working with hospital management to improve services.
"We are not denying whatever has been said, but we are saying we will try our best, because you know we exist because of the public," she said.
The union said constructive engagement between healthcare workers, patients and hospital administrators was necessary to restore public confidence in the facility.
Meanwhile, Panyako called on the national government and the Ministry of Health to strengthen measures to prevent and manage Ebola and other infectious disease outbreaks.
He said the government should strictly adhere to World Health Organisation protocols on outbreak management, including screening, preparedness and the protection of healthcare workers.
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Panyako also said health officials responsible for screening travellers should ensure that people arriving from areas affected by Ebola were appropriately assessed to reduce the risk of further transmission.
He expressed confidence in the training of Kenyan nurses and other healthcare workers, saying lessons learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic had strengthened their preparedness for infectious disease emergencies.
The Union urged the government to prioritise infection prevention, provide the necessary protective equipment and ensure healthcare workers could respond safely to outbreaks.
It said improving patient care at Jaramogi Hospital and strengthening the country's preparedness for infectious diseases required cooperation, accountability and adequate resources.
The Union maintained that patients must receive quality healthcare while nurses are treated with dignity as authorities work to resolve challenges facing public health facilities.
