Striking doctors blame State for impasse

What you need to know:

  • The striking doctor’s recommended the forming of a sub-committee to convert a task force report on improvement of health infrastructure, into a policy paper and the absorption of self-sponsored registrars into government.
  • The other recommendation is to have the Auditor-General and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission investigate the whereabouts of Sh200 million that was released to universities to train post-graduate doctors but allegedly never reached the recipients.
  • He explained that the money was supposed to pay for the doctors’ fees and the balance used to clear debts owed to the learning institutions that have accumulated since the 1990s.

Striking doctors have accused the government of failing to seek an end to their salary demands, saying it had not responded to their proposal on a return-to-work deal.

The chairman of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacist and Dentists Union Dr Victor Ng’ani said their mediator, the Kenya Medical Association had sent the recommendations on Friday, but the government did not respond.

“Since it is likely to be rejected, we will continue with the strike,” he said.

In the document, the striking doctor’s recommended the forming of a sub-committee to convert a task force report on improvement of health infrastructure, into a policy paper and the absorption of self-sponsored registrars into government.

The other recommendation is to have the Auditor-General and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission investigate the whereabouts of Sh200 million that was released to universities to train post-graduate doctors but allegedly never reached the recipients.

“The money was released in January and approved for use in the Finance Bill in May, yet the universities have not received a cent,” Dr Ng’ani said.

He explained that the money was supposed to pay for the doctors’ fees and the balance used to clear debts owed to the learning institutions that have accumulated since the 1990s.

Patients in public hospitals, meanwhile, continue to bear the brunt of the strike as operations remain below capacity and only consultants are attending to patients. (READ: Tales of suffering as doctors’ strike continues to bite)

According to Kenyatta National Hospital chief executive Richard Lesiyampe, many poor patients are staying at home or looking for cheaper but dangerous alternatives.

Efforts by the Nation to find out how some of these patients are relieving their pain led us to various city estates where roadside herbs vendors are doing brisk business.

“My sales have gone up. I have new clients pushed here by the ongoing doctors’ strike. I can now make at least Sh2,000 per day up from about Sh700 before the strike,” a vendor at Olympic estate in Kibera, who identified himself only as John, said.

For self-confessed malaria patients, John will sell them a teaspoonful of some ground powder at Sh20; however he says a full dose should be double this amount. “But after two days if one does not feel well, they can return for more.”

In public hospitals malaria drugs are free, while in the private sector, the cost has in the last few months climbed from Sh40 to Sh100.

“These patients could be jumping from the frying pan right into the fire,” says Dr Michael Odotte, a herbalist and a technical advisor to the Herbalists Society of Kenya. He said some of these roadside herbs may cause serious health complications.

Samples collected recently from Kibera, Kawangware, Shauri Moyo, Ngong Road, Kamukunji, Ngara, Westlands, Kangemi and downtown Nairobi were flown to the US for analysis and were found to be highly contaminated with life threatening germs including some found in human and animals faeces.

A total of 67 per cent of samples contained the bacteria S. aureus above the safe limits for human consumption. The bacteria are responsible for most skin and soft tissue infections in human beings.

The comprehensive study is published in this month’s issue of the South African Journal of Science.

“This is a matter of grave concern confirming our fears that many practitioners are not observing basic hygienic standards,” says Dr Odotte whose organisation has been fighting to have herbalists allowed to work alongside conventional doctors in public health facilities.

Reports by John Njagi, Gatonye Gathura and Edith Fortunate