Nurses in Siaya County gathered for prayers, seeking divine intervention and solidarity as they face mounting challenges in the health sector and an impending nationwide strike.

The event that was organized by the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Siaya branch brought together nurses from public, private, and faith-based facilities across the county with the clergy and union leaders urging the government to prioritize the welfare of healthcare workers.

Father Felix Atinda of the Holy Cross Ramba Catholic Parish, who presided over the ceremony, emphasized the need to support nurses beyond their professional duties.

Fr. Atinda called on the government to invest not only in hospital buildings and equipment but also in the wellbeing of healthcare providers, stressing that the value of life cannot be equated to material wealth.

Nurses’ Union officials echoed similar concerns. Kennedy Hamisi, secretary of the KNUN Siaya branch, said the prayer day was meant to dedicate nurses’ mission to God while highlighting their unresolved grievances.

Hamisi noted that while nurses in Siaya do not wish to return to industrial action, warning however that unresolved disputes over working conditions and benefits could force them to join colleagues across the country.

He urged county leaders to act swiftly to avert disruption of services saying that are never happy going to strike when patients are suffering.

The prayer day comes against the backdrop of past strikes that have strained the county’s healthcare system, leaving patients vulnerable.