Health services across Machakos County remained paralysed on Monday as a nurses’ strike entered its second week, forcing patients at the county’s main Level 5 Hospital and other public facilities to seek care elsewhere or go untreated. Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi said the county government is ready to open negotiations with the nurses’ union and urged health workers to return to duty while talks proceed. He warned that prolonged industrial action would deepen the crisis for residents and undermine the county’s ambitions to attract medical tourism from nearby urban centres. The walk-out began after a nationwide strike notice issued in May and centres on nurses’ demands for enforcement of a collective bargaining agreement that includes salary rises, long-delayed promotions, remittance of statutory deductions and adherence to a 2024 Salaries and Remuneration Commission circular. County officials have not indicated when a formal meeting with union representatives will take place.