Proposed Mombasa County law seeks to punish rude health workers

Health workers in Mombasa who fail to provide emergency medical treatment, yet they are able to do so, will be fined not less than Sh1 million or jailed for a year if a proposed law is enacted.

This is one of the proposals contained in the Mombasa County Health Bill 2015, which has already been tabled before the county assembly for the first reading.

If passed, the law would give reprieve to residents, many of whom have lamented about negligence by health workers especially at the Coast General Hospital.

However, the medics have a right to deny an abusive patient services except in a situation where no other health worker is available.

The workers are also provided with the right to a safe working environment and right to apply for and accept a salaried post in public service or private sector.

Assembly Health Committee Vice-chairman Mary Akinyi confirmed, in an interview with the Nation, that the Bill was already before the assembly.

Mombasa has recently been hit by a series of strikes by health workers over pay and working conditions.

The proposed Bill also supports upgrading of current health centres, construction of maternity wings and requirement by the county health department to provide preventive healthcare services to the public.

Other proposals made in the Bill are for the establishment of an emergency kitty that will ensure services at the hospital are provided uninterrupted.

“The current situation at the Coast General Hospital and which is a requirement by law is that first money collected there has to be taken to the county treasury before it is released upon presentation of a budget,” Ms Akinyi said.