Meru residents flock Isiolo referral hospital as health workers’ strike persists

Nurses from Isiolo Referral Hospital receive psychiatric patients from Meru level V Hospital on October 8, 2016 following a strike by health workers in Meru County. PHOTO | VIVIAN JEBET | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Relatives started transferring patients from Meru Referral Hospital last Wednesday.
  • Meru health workers on Wednesday downed their tools after they failed to agree on promotions with the county government.
  • The Isiolo hospital senior nursing officer Joyce Halakhe said they have enough drugs and food for all the patients.

The ongoing strike by health workers in Meru County has resulted in the overstretching of Isiolo Referral Hospital as patients seek treatment there with some departments reportedly surpassing the number of patients required.

On Friday the hospital received 16 psychiatric patients from Meru Level V Hospital but only managed to admit seven patients.

The Isiolo hospital senior nursing officer Joyce Halakhe said nine other psychiatric patients were sent to Nyeri Level V Hospital, about 120km away, for treatment.

Isiolo Referral Hospital has a capacity of only 154 patients but its 147 beds are already occupied.

The psychiatric ward that is meant for 10 patients now has 11 patients.

MORE PATIENTS EXPECTED

Despite the staff and facilities at the Isiolo hospital being overstretched, more patients are expected as the strike in Meru by medics strike enters its fourth day.

Relatives started transferring patients from Meru Referral Hospital last Wednesday.

“We cannot turn away patients with general cases since this is a government facility. They can share the common wards but for psychiatric cases we were forced to transfer others because they require special attention,” Ms Halakhe said.

She said there are enough drugs and food for all the patients.

Meru health workers on Wednesday downed their tools after they failed to agree on promotions with the county government.

“The issues leading to strikes are crosscutting to all counties but medics from Isiolo County have resorted to having dialogue with the administration instead of striking,” said the nursing officer.

Ms Mary Nkirote said she transferred her sister who was admitted to the Meru hospital after the doctors and nurses failed to take care of her.