The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) has defended nurses at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) against online harassment, citing staff shortages, congestion and inadequate resources as challenges affecting service delivery.
In a statement on Sunday, the union acknowledged concerns raised by patients and their families but cautioned against collectively blaming frontline healthcare workers for systemic problems beyond their control.
“Shortages of staff, inadequate resources, congestion, heavy workloads and other institutional challenges require urgent attention from the relevant authorities rather than the indiscriminate condemnation of frontline healthcare workers,” KNUNM said.
The union, however, acknowledged that some healthcare workers may have fallen short of expected professional standards, saying substantiated cases should be addressed through established accountability mechanisms.
It said protecting nurses and safeguarding patients were complementary responsibilities, adding that patients deserved quality healthcare, dignity, timely attention and respectful treatment.
KNUNM called on JOOTRH management and relevant authorities to address service delivery gaps, improve working conditions and ensure legitimate complaints receive timely attention.
The union also urged nurses to uphold professionalism, empathy and accountability in their interactions with patients, while appealing to the public to avoid generalisations and personal attacks against healthcare workers.
“Patients deserve quality care, nurses deserve dignity and a safe working environment, and healthcare institutions must be held accountable for the systems they are responsible for providing,” the statement said.
KNUNM said it would work with the Nursing Council of Kenya, the Ministry of Health, the Kisumu County Government and the hospital’s board of management to investigate the concerns, identify operational gaps and develop sustainable solutions.
The union’s statement comes as Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga called on JOOTRH staff to improve professional conduct and take greater responsibility for patient outcomes.
Speaking while addressing hospital staff on Saturday, October 10, Oluga said government investment in infrastructure and staffing had to translate into better experiences for patients.
“We are doing a proposal for Sh4.9 billion to expand the facility through the Africa Development Bank,” he said, adding that the government had increased the hospital’s allocations and approved its human resource instruments.
However, he said funding alone could not guarantee quality care, urging staff to demonstrate discipline and empathy.
“It requires summoning your humanity. It requires being on those patient shoes. It requires a certain level of responsibility, but overall, it requires discipline,” Oluga said.
He warned staff against failing to report for duty or making excuses for poor performance, saying the government would hold them accountable.
“If you are meant to be here at 8 a.m., ensure you are here at eight a.m.,” he said.
The debate follows criticism from members of the public who have taken to social media to recount their experiences at JOOTRH, including allegations of negligence and accounts from families who said they had lost relatives while seeking treatment.
One patient also raised concerns about delays in discharging patients at the Kisumu-based referral hospital, alleging the process could take an entire day under the best circumstances and even longer during normal operations.