Hospitals abandoned as Meru health workers’ enters day two
A deserted Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital on October 6, 2016 as a strike by health workers entered its second day. Relatives were seen transferring patients from the hospital. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- At Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital revealed that the workers did not report for duty with only cleaners working.
- The hospital’s chief executive Thuraku M’Riara said patients were being taken to private hospitals until the strike is called off.
- The workers want the county government to effect promotions that they say have been pending for long.
The strike by health workers in Meru County has Thursday entered its second day, paralysing services in public hospitals.
A spot check at the Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital revealed that the workers did not report for duty with only cleaners working.
Only a few patients were at the biggest referral hospital in the region that caters for patients from as far as Marsabit and other neighbouring counties.
Relatives were seen transferring patients from the hospital.
The hospital’s chief executive Thuraku M’Riara said patients were being taken to private hospitals until the strike is called off.
PATIENTS TRANSFERRED
“We have transferred the patients because the doctors cannot take care of them,” he said.
Doctors reported on duty but nurses, public health officers, pharmacists and lab technologists kept off.
Union officials insisted the workers would not attend to patients until the county government meets their demands.
The workers want the county government to effect promotions that they say have been pending for long.
Though the county government had tabled an offer to promote more than 900 workers in the next two weeks, the workers said they could not trust it to implement it.
Most patients opted to go to mission hospitals due to the strike.
