Three die as doctors' boycott in Coast bites

Three patients died on Sunday at Coast General Hospital as the strike by health workers in Mombasa County continued to bite.

A health official, who sought anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said 10 other patients at the hospital were in critical condition due to lack of medical care.

“I can confirm that three people have died due to the strike,” said the official.

Some patients were forced to pay doctors from private clinics to treat them at the public hospital.

When asked by the Nation about the deaths, Mombasa County health executive Binti Omar responded: “Let me confirm and I will get back to you, please let me confirm first.”

She had not confirmed the deaths by the time the Nation went to press.

NO HEALTH-CARE STAFF

The Nation was unable to reach Mombasa County's director of medical services, Khadija Shikely, and an SMS query went unanswered.

Mr Tingoi Olelenjuja, a patient who was involved in a road accident in Ukunda, Kwale County, and was to be taken to the intensive care unit (ICU), spent the night in the emergency ward due to lack of heath-care personnel.

A relative said the family had taken him to Ukunda Medical Centre but were referred to the general hospital for an urgent brain scan and specialised care.

“We took him to a hospital in Ukunda and he was referred to Coast General in critical condition only to meet other patients groaning in pain. We are hoping for God’s intervention because we have not seen any doctor since he was brought here,” said his brother, who only identified himself as Shadrack.

Anxious relatives, who had flocked to the hospital, were shocked to find their relatives unattended.

TAKE YOUR PATIENT TO PRIVATE HOSPITAL

“I saw one doctor and he told me to take my patient to a private hospital or pay another doctor to treat him. I am shocked at the state of affairs in this hospital. It should be managed by the national government,” said Ms Beatrice Atieno.

She went on: “My brother has been here since Friday and he is in a very bad state. The doctor in charge told me to go away when I came to wash his wound.”

Distraught relatives milling around the hospital said it was unfair that leaders were busy politicking about the referendum while Kenyans were suffering.

“The debate is all about referendum and more funds for the governors, yet they have been unable to take care of the devolved health-care services. It is a shame that people are dying due to the strike by doctors and nurses. Why are they doing this to us?” posed Mr Juma Bahaullah.

Last week, the doctors' union advised its members who were yet to receive their July salaries to stay away from work following the expiry of their strike notice on August 4.

PRIVATE PRACTICE

Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union deputy secretary-general Abidan Mwachi said many doctors were resigning to go into private practise because of the delayed salaries.

He noted that medical interns had not been paid for the past five months, while consultants were yet to receive their pay.

Dr Mwachi accused the government of being “the one on strike” by not disbursing funds for their salaries on time, and not taking the health-care concerns seriously.

He noted that about 200 doctors resign every month while only 700 are hired every year.

He pointed out that maternity and surgery departments at Coast General Hospital would be hardest hit if the government failed to address the standoff over the salaries of nurses, gynaecologists and anaesthetists.

“Operations have just been reduced to the bare minimum. In Coast, two anaesthetists and a gynaecologist have resigned and it is the same situation all over the country,” he said, adding that others were planning to quit.

Meanwhile, county governments have blamed the salary delays on budgetary constraints at the national level.