Doctors’ strike begins another round of agony for patients
Peter Gitonga, 38, rests in his bed at Karatina Hospital in Nyeri County on May 7, 2017. Gitonga, who has been hospitalised after being injured when a quarry wall collapsed on him three years ago, has been left alone in the hospital after nurses went on strike to demand promotions. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- In Nyeri, a strike by nurses that started on May 1 has shut down services in public hospitals in the region.
- Patients are again set for another round of agony and pain following the strike by the doctors and specialists.
- At Karatina Hospital, only two patients were left behind, one each at the male and female wards.
Health services have been paralysed in all public hospitals in Nakuru County after doctors downed their tools demanding a five-month unpaid salary.
And in Nyeri, a strike by nurses that started on May 1 has shut down services in public hospitals in the region, forcing patients to seek services in private hospitals or in neighbouring counties.
The more than 1,000 nurses went on strike to push for the county government to effect their promotions in all cadres.
In Nakuru, the health workers who went on strike on Friday are protesting over unpaid salaries for the months of December, 2016, January, February, March and April, 2017, which they have not received.
Patients are again set for another round of agony and pain following the strike by the doctors and specialists.
PAINFUL STRIKES
The medics went on strike on December 5 last year for 100 days in one of the longest and most painful strikes that left pain and death of patients in its wake.
The doctor’s union officials in South Rift Valley branch, led by their branch secretary, Dr Davji Atellah, said they would not resume duties until all their salary arrears are paid in full.
“President Uhuru Kenyatta on April 5 directed that all the outstanding arrears owed to the doctors should be paid. We wonder why the county government is dilly-dallying with our money,” said Dr Atellah.
He said doctors were concerned that the presidential directive had not been implemented and would boycott work until they were paid their dues.
“We shall not resume duties until all our outstanding salaries and allowances are paid in full,” said Dr Atellah.
BLAMED FINANCE DEPARTMENT
But in a quick rejoinder, Health executive Daniel Mungai Kabii, absolved his department of blame and instead pointed an accusing finger at the county Finance Department.
“The Finance Department should explain where the money to pay the doctors’ arrears went because they had firm instructions to pay them their arrears plus their allowances because the money was budgeted for,” said Dr Kabii.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) national officials have threatened to mobilise their members to go on strike unless their members are paid the arrears.
The union’s boss, Dr Ouma Oluga on Tuesday last week issued an ultimatum to county governments to pay the doctors or else health workers would down their tools.
“We won’t work without pay as we have been stretched thin and won’t continue working until we get our dues,” said Dr Oluga.
AVERT DEATHS
In Nyeri, private hospitals have called on the county government to end the ongoing nurses strike to avert deaths, citing fears of congestion.
According to Consolata Mathari Hospital CEO Bernard Muriithi, patients being transferred to the private hospital were in critical conditions and due to lack of capacity, might die.
“A lot more people may die because by the time they are being brought to the hospital, there is no capacity and they are mostly in critical condition,” he said.
Just two days into the nurses’ strike, the mission hospital was already overstretched, he said.
“Although we are managing the situation, the numbers are high and we are already overstretched,” he said.
CASUALTY WARDS
The maternity and casualty wards were the most overstretched despite the county government donating beds, linen and incubator machines.
“Our hope is that the stalemate in the public hospitals within the county does not take long to end,” he said.
The hospital has a capacity of 110 patients.
Public hospitals in Nyeri were deserted at the beginning of the month, as more than 1, 000 nurses downed their tools in a promotion row.
The nurses are demanding promotions for workers in all job groups, before they resume work.
According to the nurses, the county has not promoted or hired since the start of devolution in 2013.
GREENER PASTURES
More than 400 nurses have retired, died or left the hospitals for greener pastures.
They are also lamenting that the working condition in the hospitals is wanting.
For instance, they said the laundry machine at the Nyeri Referral Hospital broke down six months ago but has not been repaired to date.
Patient’s soiled linen are being transported to Karatina District Hospital and Othaya Hospital for cleaning.
“We are disadvantaged, demoralised and fatigued. Nurses in other counties are asking for promotions for the second time,” said Ms Beatrice Nduati, branch secretary of the Kenya National Union of Nurses.
BLAMED NURSES
But Health Executive Charles Githinji blamed the nurses’ strike on politics “as they are already aware that their letters are being sorted”.
A spot check by the Nation found hospitals paralysed. Some patients who were unaware of the stand-off were being turned away from the hospitals.
At Karatina Hospital, only two patients were left behind, one each at the male and female wards.
In Tharaka-Nithi, the sensitive health sector is on the top list of issues that are likely to kill Governor Samuel Ragwa’s dream for a second term.
The numerous strikes by nurses during his tenure, lack of drugs, and frequent disconnection of electricity and water supplies in hospitals due to unpaid bills, are likely to haunt him in the August 8, elections.
REINSTATEMENT OF NURSES
Having been popularly elected in 2013 for his many years as a hospital administrator, the governor seems to have not lived up to the expectations of the electorate, something that is making his re-election bid difficult.
Addressing journalists at Chuka County Referral Hospital after the Employment and Labour Relations Court sitting in Nyeri ordered reinstatement of 388 nurses whom the county had sacked for refusing to end a strike that lasted three months, the Kenya National Union of Nurses’ branch leaders said the only solution to the poor health services was electing another governor.
Aware of the weaknesses, Mr Ragwa’s political rivals have capitalised on the suffering of the poor patients who cannot seek services in private hospitals due to high charges to portray him as a leader who does not deserve a second term.
POLITICALLY INSTIGATED STRIKES
Though the county boss has always maintained that the strikes are politically instigated, residents are only interested in getting services and any time the hospital doors are closed, patients curse the county leadership for their suffering.
Addressing residents of Tharaka during a recent campaign rally at Marimanti, Chuka/Igambang’ombe MP Muthomi Njuki, Mr Ragwa’s sole rival, accused the governor of failing to utilise the huge amounts of money allocated to the health sector to improve services and promised to bring tremendous change if elected.
“Health sector gets the lion’s share of this county budget but the services are poorest here compared to other 46 counties,” said Mr Njuki.
Mr Ragwa is defending his seat on a Narc Kenya ticket against Mr Njuki of Jubilee Party.
Reported by Francis Mureithi, Irene Mugo and Alex Njeru
