Impact of Health Workers’ Strike in August 2014 on Health Services in Mombasa County Referral Hospital, Kenya

Introduction. Health workers are an essential part of the health system. Health workers in Mombasa County went on strike for two weeks in August 2014 due to nonpayment of salaries. This study analysed the impact of this strike. Methods. Monthly utilization of health services was accessed from the Kenya Health Information website. This was for general outpatient, special clinics, maternal and child health, inpatient services, maternity services, dental, and radiological services. For each indicator, monthly mean was calculated for January to July 2014. This was compared with the August monthly mean. Results. Outpatient attendance declined by 64.4%, special clinics attendance by 74.2%, and deliveries by 53.5%. Inpatient admissions declined by 57.8 % and inpatient deaths by 26.3%. Conclusion. The August 2014 strike adversely affected health services. County governments should put in place mechanisms to avert future health workers’ strike. The national government should also disburse funds to the counties on time.