Medics vow to continue with strike

Nurses to remain on strike until govt honors CBA

What you need to know:

  • The doctors are pushing for promotions, better pay and review of job groups as per a collective bargaining agreement signed in 2013.
  • At one time, journalists were barred by the security guards to enter the hospital saying they were acting on orders.

Doctors have said they will continue with their strike until their demands are met.

Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists' Union Secretary-General Ouma Oluga said on a radio talk show Tuesday that Kenyans are entitled to quality and adequately paid doctors.

He made the remarks on the second day of the medics' countrywide strike.

The doctors are pushing for promotions, better pay and a review of job groups under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement signed in 2013.

The strike has paralysed health services in public hospitals across the country.

By Monday evening, at least seven patients had died while thousands were discharged prematurely.

Patients seeking treatment at public hospitals have been forced to turn to private hospitals for services.

In the North Rift region, private hospitals had to recall staff who were on leave to cope with the increase in the number of patients seeking help.

Wards at Kerugoya Referral Hospital in Kirinyaga County were deserted after relatives transferred patients to private health facilities.

Relatives attend to patients in a ward at Kilifi County Hospital as a strike by health workers entered its second day on December 6, 2016. PHOTO | SAMUEL KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Patients were turned away Tuesday morning as there were no health workers at the hospital.

"We had to go back home after being informed that clinical officers have also downed their tools," said Njeri Kariuki, a patient.

The casualty and emergency department of Kilifi County Referral Hospital remained closed for the second day running.

Several people who had taken family members to the hospital for treatment had to turn to private hospitals instead.

“I have come with my grandfather from Matsangoni but the emergency [department] is closed. One nurse we found in the premises said medics were on strike. I am taking him to a private hospital.

"This is the only health facility that we mainly depend on. I want this strike to end because we don’t have money to seek medical services in private hospitals,” said Zawadi Kenga.

Janet Barkolwo attends to her baby at Kabarnet County Referral Hospital as the doctors' strike entered its second day on December 6, 2016. PHOTO |CHEBOITE KIGEN | NATION MEDIA GROUP

In one ward, relatives were attending to their loved ones as a nurse kept an eye on them. However, security guards chased away reporters who were trying to access the area.

At one point, members of the news media were barred by the security guards from entering the hospital, with the guards saying they were acting on orders from management.

At Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital, 21 patients from the surgical ward and 28 others from the medical ward were transferred to private facilities.

County Director of Health James Gitonga said the hospital is calling relatives to pick up 15 patients in the psychiatry ward.

Nairobi County Health Executive Bernard Muia said doctors in the city are on strike but consultants are attending to emergency cases.

He said Nairobi medics should not have gone on strike as they had a return-to-work formula after downing their tools last month.

He said the county had fulfilled their demands.

Sub-county public health nurse Zainabu Nuria attends to a patient at Marsabit Referral Hospital on December 6,2016. Senior staff at the hospital are serving patients after other health workers went on strike. PHOTO | KEN BETT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Marsabit, senior hospital staff were assisting patients in the wards after health workers went on strike.

Patients stayed away from hospitals on Tuesday, aware that the sick were not getting services on Monday because of the strike.

The hospital management said its senior staff will be attending to emergency cases.

Patients who cannot walk or talk were moved from the wards and abandoned on the corridors.

Christine Nyauganda has been at the hospital for three years and was ejected from the ward on Monday by nurses.

She said she has nowhere to go and is sleeping on the floor in the corridor.

Patients stranded in the casualty area of Moi County Referral Hospital in Voi, Taita-Taveta County, on December 6, 2016. PHOTO | LUCY MKANYIKA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Cleaners at the hospital had to feed another woman who cannot walk or talk. She was also abandoned in the corridor as the wards were locked.

About 200 patients being treated at Kapsabet and Nandi county hospitals were discharged as there are no doctors to attend to them.

In Migori and Kisii referral hospitals, patients were being transferred to private hospitals as health workers stayed away from the facilities.

There were long queues at private hospitals where patients sought treatment.

Reports by George Munene, Samuel Kazungu, Charles Lwanga, Barnabas Bii, Kennedy Kimanthi, Lillian Mutavi, Ken Bett, Angela Aketch, Tom Matoke, Elisha Otieno and Elgar Machuka.