Patients suffer as doctors maintain strike still on; threaten protest this week
At
the Nakuru Referral Hospital, patients seeking emergency services on Sunday
were all by themselves amid the disruption in the provision of healthcare
services occasioned by the doctors’ strike.
Usually,
patients would be received at the accident and emergency unit by medics.
The doctors'
strike which is on its 11th day Sunday has also affected the family of Hellen
Kariuki. Their 70-year-old dad who is hypertensive and diabetic was seeking
services at the hospital from Thursday.
“Hajahudumiwa
wakati huu wote…...Kwa ward tunaambiwa amix madawa Na chakula ndio akule
…otherwise tulipata dawa tu hapo,” said Ms Kariuki.
After
three days in the wards, with no doctors on site and with his health
deteriorating, the family made a decision to transfer their patient to a
private hospital in Nyahururu.
“Tuliona
hata unaweza lose patient... ni uchungu sana kwa kuona mahali unategemea huwezi
pata huduma,” she added.
More
families continue to seek alternative options for their patients who are
admitted to the Nakuru Referral Hospital.
John
Mutai whose 2 close relatives are admitted here after they were involved in an
accident on Saturday, says the patients are in agony.
“Kuna
wagonjwa wawili ambao wako wadi Na hawajapata huduma huko… mmoja amevunjika
mkono alikuwa anafaa kuwekwa chuma hadi saa hii bado,” said Mutai.
As
the situation in hospitals countrywide worsens, the Kenya Medical Practitioners
and Dentists Union says doctors will not return to work until the government
meets their end of the deal.
Doctors
will take to the streets between Tuesday to Thursday this week.
“This
week we will have demos in Nakuru, Embu, Kakamega, Migori and Nairobi without
having the issues solved no amount of propaganda or political rhetorics will
stop this,” said Davji Atellah, the Secretary General of KMPDU.
Council
of Governor’s Chairperson of the Health Committee Muthomi Njuki called on
doctors to soften their stance and return to work, Governor Muthomi says the
effects of the strike on patients are devastating.
His
Nairobi Counterpart Johnson Sakaja told over 160 doctors in Nairobi to return
to work or face the sack.
The
first attempt by KMPDU to hold talks with the government failed last week, doctors
say they will remain relentless in their quest to ensure the government meets
its demands.
In
the meantime, innocent patients continue to bear the brunt of the ongoing
strike with no end in sight.
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