Doctors strike in private facilities deal blow to patients in Coast
A patient and his relatives remain stranded outside Coast General Hospital in Mombasa on February 15, 2017 as doctors stayed away following their strike. Parties in mediation talks to end the crisis have taken a short break. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP.
What you need to know:
- This is a major blow to patients who have been seeking services at private hospitals after the strike started on December 5 last year.
- Kenya Association of Physicians Mombasa branch chairman Sood Mohammed said the decision was prompted by the need for justice for their colleagues.
About 30 private clinics in Mombasa remained deserted on Wednesday after they were shut down as a show of solidarity with striking public sector doctors.
More than 100 consultants from the Coast region said patients seeking health services at private clinics will have to look elsewhere.
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union Coast branch Secretary-General Abidan Mwachi said the strike had extended to to the private sector.
"We thank the doctors from private hospitals for deserting duties and joining us in this protest. The battle begins in earnest that the government must honour its promise and deliver the CBA," he said.
This is a major blow to patients who have been seeking services at private hospitals after the strike started on December 5 last year.
Kenya Association of Physicians Mombasa branch chairman Sood Mohammed said the decision was prompted by the need for justice for their colleagues.
"We have discussed about what has happened to our medical fraternity and how much our dignity has gone down than ever before.
"This has led us to take this extreme actions which we are not proud of. We want fair treatment of our colleagues," he said.
Dr Pancholi Mahendra, Kenya Medical Association Coast branch chairman, called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to sort out the stalemate.
"We are only notifying the public that we are withdrawing our services subject to review. The government should treat this health crisis with urgency," he said.
Francis Musa Majaliwa is among the many bearing the brunt of the strike.
Mr Majaliwa was hit by a speeding lorry on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway on Tuesday evening, but he has not been treated.
The Nation found him in pain at the Coast General Provincial Hospital parking area after he was turned away by the guards.
His relatives were nursing his wounds using water and some medicines.
"We brought him here on Tuesday night after the accident. He has not been treated due to lack of doctors.
"Nurses have said he has a broken limp. He is bleeding profusely so we are using water to wipe out the blood," said his brother Musa Majaliwa.
He added that they went to eight private and public hospitals in Kwale County, including Mariakani Sub County Hospital, but they were turned away.
Musa said they will wait outside the hospital until his brother is allowed into the hospital for treatment.
