The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) has defended nurses at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) against public blame and online harassment, saying staff shortages, overcrowding, excessive workloads and limited resources are contributing to complaints about services at the Kisumu-based facility.
In a statement dated October 12, the union acknowledged concerns raised by patients and their families but cautioned against holding individual nurses responsible for challenges arising from weaknesses in the healthcare system.
The union said nursing professionals should not face collective condemnation or online attacks over problems that may be beyond their control, while calling for a fair approach to addressing concerns about patient care.
“As a union, we stand in solidarity with our nurses and strongly caution against collectively blaming, condemning or subjecting nursing professionals to online harassment and public trolling for systemic challenges that extend beyond their individual control,” the statement said.
However, KNUNM maintained that patients have a right to quality healthcare, dignity, prompt attention and respectful treatment whenever they seek medical services.
The union also acknowledged that some healthcare workers may have failed to meet the expected standards of professionalism, stressing that any proven cases of misconduct should be handled through the appropriate procedures.
“Where such cases are substantiated, they should be addressed fairly through established institutional and professional accountability mechanisms,” it said.
KNUNM said protecting nurses from unfair treatment should go hand in hand with ensuring patients receive the care they deserve, adding that hospital management and the relevant authorities must address gaps affecting service delivery.
It urged members of the public to avoid generalising about nurses or subjecting individual healthcare workers to personal attacks over complaints involving the hospital.
At the same time, the union called on its members to demonstrate professionalism, empathy and accountability when dealing with patients and their families, noting the importance of maintaining public confidence in healthcare services.
To address the concerns, KNUNM said it would work with the Nursing Council of Kenya, the Ministry of Health, the Kisumu County Government and the JOOTRH board of management to examine the complaints, establish operational weaknesses and develop lasting solutions.
The union said the engagement would focus on identifying the problems affecting service delivery and determining the measures needed to improve conditions for healthcare workers and patients.
“Our position is clear: 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.
The union's intervention comes amid mounting public criticism of services at JOOTRH, where patients and their relatives have taken to social media to share complaints alleging negligence, delays and poor treatment.
The concerns have also prompted calls for healthcare workers to improve their conduct and take greater responsibility for the experiences of patients seeking treatment at the facility.
On Saturday, October 10, Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga urged hospital staff to improve their professional conduct and take greater responsibility for patient outcomes.
Oluga said government spending on healthcare infrastructure and staffing should lead to better experiences for patients, emphasising that increased investment must be matched by improved service delivery.
He also revealed that a Sh4.9 billion proposal had been prepared to support the expansion of JOOTRH through the African Development Bank, as the government seeks to improve the facility's capacity.
According to Oluga, the government had increased allocations to the hospital and approved its human resource instruments, but he warned that additional funding alone would not resolve the concerns surrounding patient care.
He challenged healthcare workers to show compassion and take their responsibilities seriously, saying the quality of treatment patients receive also depends on the conduct and commitment of staff.
“It requires summoning your humanity. It requires being on those patient shoes. It requires a certain level of responsibility, but overall, it requires discipline,” he said.
Oluga further warned hospital employees against failing to report for duty, insisting that staff must observe their working hours and answer for poor performance.
His remarks placed renewed focus on the responsibilities of healthcare workers in ensuring patients receive timely attention, even as the nurses' union maintains that systemic challenges must also be addressed to improve services.
Complaints about the time taken to discharge patients have also featured in the public debate, with one patient alleging that the process could take an entire day even under the best circumstances.
The concerns have added to questions about the hospital's operations, with the union calling for a coordinated response that protects patients' rights while addressing the working conditions and institutional challenges facing nurses.