Healthcare workers in Trans Nzoia County are demanding urgent security reforms in public health facilities in the region following the assault of a clinical officer by a patient’s relative at Sitatunga Dispensary earlier this week.
The clinician, Ms Eudia Omenda, was reportedly attacked by a patient’s father after his 18-year-old son died while receiving medical attention at the facility on Monday.
The patient had reportedly defaulted on Tuberculosis (TB) treatment and had been brought to the dispensary for review and nutritional support.
According to a report from the County Health Department, his condition worsened during treatment, leading to his death. The patient reportedly vomited blood and died shortly after arrival.
The suspect, identified as Mr Joshua Onyando, a retired teacher, is said to have assaulted the female clinical officer following an alleged delay in attending to a critically ill patient on Monday.
The County Health Department report confirmed that the patient’s deteriorating condition was linked to a default in TB treatment. The department further alleged that Mr Onyando assaulted Ms Omenda after she delivered the news of his son's death.
The incident caused panic among staff and patients, forcing many to flee the facility until police arrived to contain the situation and arrest the suspect.
The suspect was apprehended by police, while the clinician received medical treatment and psycho-social counselling following the ordeal. The matter is still under investigation by the police.
The attack has drawn widespread condemnation from healthcare workers’ unions, who say this is the second reported case of violence against health staff in the county this year, the first being an assault on a nurse at Wamalwa Kijana Referral Hospital.
Healthcare workers, including striking nurses, staged a protest outside Doctors’ Plaza in Kitale on Tuesday, requesting reinforcement of security measures in all health facilities. They expressed concerns about the work environment and identified issues with current security protocols at healthcare facilities in the region.
“This attack should not be taken lightly. It reflects a growing trend of insecurity in our workspaces,” said Mr Edwin Cheruiyot, the secretary of the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) in Trans Nzoia County.
“We want the county government to work with security agencies to safeguard health workers,” he said, noting that it was worrying that this year alone, two cases of assault against healthcare workers have been reported in the county, signalling a disturbing trend that has created an increasingly unsafe working environment for medical personnel.
“If this is not addressed, we will have no reason to remain in the facilities. We need assurance of our safety before we can effectively treat patients,” he said.
Earlier this year, a nurse was also assaulted at Wamalwa Kijana Referral Hospital, prompting the hospital's management to reinforce staff security.
Officials of the KNUNM and the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (Kuco), who led the Tuesday protest, also demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of the suspect, warning that continued insecurity would compromise healthcare service delivery.
Kuco County Representative Shadrack Chebet echoed the sentiments, saying a toxic work environment could paralyse the health system.
“We want this matter taken seriously because it will directly impact the performance of healthcare workers,” he stated.
This week’s protests happened amid an ongoing nurses’ strike that has crippled health services across the county. At the heart of the industrial action is the stalled Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for the 2025–2029 period.
According to Mr Cheruiyot, negotiations have stalled due to the county government's failure to convene a committee to finalise the agreement.
“Nurses will not resume duty until the CBA is finalised and registered in court,” he said, while expressing the union’s willingness to resume dialogue.
Beyond the CBA, nurses are also raising concerns about a critical staffing shortage. Union officials say that, with a rapidly growing population and increasing healthcare demands, the current workforce is struggling to keep up.
“The shortage of nurses is no longer just a problem; it is a crisis. Our teams are overstretched, and patient care is suffering,” said Vice Chairman of KNUNM Trans Nzoia Chapter, Mr Stephen Wamae.
The union is calling for the full implementation of Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) recommendations to improve compensation, including increases to risk, uniform, and nursing service allowances over the next three years.
Nurses are also calling for the enforcement of pending circulars aimed at improving working conditions and ensuring fair treatment.
Further aggravating the crisis is the alleged failure by the county government to remit statutory and non-statutory deductions on time, resulting in financial penalties and eroded trust between nurses and their employer.
