Nyandarua hospitals feel the pain of Laikipia medics strike

Women at the JM Kariuki Memorial Hospital maternity wing on June 18, 2019. Up to three mothers are sharing a bed following a surge patients from Laikipia County where doctors are on strike. PHOTO | WAIKWA MAINA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • At the JM Kariuki Memorial Hospital, patients arrive in matatus and taxis.
  • Hospitals have cancelled the official offs for staff in order to cope with the high number of patients.
  • The number of women giving birth has increased from between 10 and 15 to above 30 daily.

Public hospitals in Nyandarua County are now grappling with an influx of patients from the neighbouring Laikipia County where doctors are on strike.

The Laikipia doctors went on strike early this month demanding the implementation of a collective bargaining agreement.

Nyandarua Health Chief Officer Jorum Muraya says hospitals in the county are already feeling the effect of the strike, with strained human resources and other facilities.

He added that the ongoing strike in Laikipia will affect the provision of the healthcare services since the Nyandarua County government had not factored in the increased patient population in its budget and resource allocations.

LONG QUEUES

At the JM Kariuki Memorial Hospital, patients arrive in matatus and taxis forming long queues from as early as 5am.

The hospital is already facing an acute staff shortage.

The most affected departments are maternity and theatre.

Patients seeking specialised treatment are also affected.

DRUGS SHORTAGE

“We are faced with a situation whereby our facilities might not have drugs and other essential items that are procured together with the drugs. Provision of the health services is getting compromised as our staff is strained, working without off duty hours," said Dr Muraya.

He said the hospitals have cancelled the official offs for staff in order to cope with the high number of patients.

“Our medics are already fatigued. When one is strained in the line of duty, there is always a possibility of making wrong judgments when attending to patients, which might be very costly. We are already feeling the effect,” said Dr Muraya.

DELIVERIES

At the JM Memorial Hospital’s maternity wing, the number of women giving birth has increased from between 10 and 15 to above 30 daily.

At the theatre department, the hospital is not attending to any booked old cases since it can only handle emergencies.

“Our biggest concern is our hospital supplies. We had enough drugs to last us between August and September, stocks that we are likely to exhaust by the end of this month or July if the strike does not end. You must also realise that no procurements are done two months after the end of the financial year, which means we won’t be able to procure any medicines; we will have a huge outcry for lack of drugs,” said the health chief officer.