INTRODUCTION: Nurses in Kenya provide significant health care including immunization in government-run health facilities. Nurses' went on strike for 150 days in 2017. This study sought to determine the strike's effect on immunization services. METHODS: Data on number of fully immunized infants reported in 18 county referral hospitals was extracted from the Kenya Health Information System and analyzed for strike and similar non-strike months. A similar analysis was conducted for 14 faith-based health facilities that were not affected by the strike. RESULTS: A Mann-Whitney U Test revealed significant difference in the mean number of fully immunized infants during the strike period (Md= 111, n=18) and non-strike period (Md=289, n=18), U=37, z= -4.0, p= .000, r=.6. A decline of 56.9% was reported during the strike. Faith-based health facilities reported an increase of 251.6% during the strike periodConclusion. This nurses' strike may have adversely affected immunization services.
INTRODUCTION: Nurses in Kenya provide significant health care including immunization in government-run health facilities. Nurses' went on strike for 150 days in 2017. This study sought to determine the strike's effect on immunization services. METHODS: Data on number of fully immunized infants reported in 18 county referral hospitals was extracted from the Kenya Health Information System and analyzed for strike and similar non-strike months. A similar analysis was conducted for 14 faith-based health facilities that were not affected by the strike. RESULTS: A Mann-Whitney U Test revealed significant difference in the mean number of fully immunized infants during the strike period (Md= 111, n=18) and non-strike period (Md=289, n=18), U=37, z= -4.0, p= .000, r=.6. A decline of 56.9% was reported during the strike. Faith-based health facilities reported an increase of 251.6% during the strike periodConclusion. This nurses' strike may have adversely affected immunization services.
Authors: Leslie A Enane; Edith Apondi; Claire Liepmann; Judith J Toromo; Mark Omollo; Salim Bakari; Michael Scanlon; Kara Wools-Kaloustian; Rachel C Vreeman Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2022-03-30 Impact factor: 3.006