Doctors down tools leaving patients stranded

By STANDARD TEAM

Confusion reigned in public hospitals after doctors demanding better pay failed to report to work.

Most hospitals admitted critical cases leaving those suffering from ailments considered minor stranded.

The doctors made good their threat to kick-start the strike Thursday to pressure the Government to implement a pay deal reached last year. Nurses and other health professionals are now manning all health facilities.

The move by doctors increases the headache for the Government, which is trying to contain similar strikes by teachers and university lecturers.

At Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), health services were downgraded further as the absence of doctors and medical Registrars continues to bite hard.

Service to patients was visibly slower than usual, including at the emergency and casualty areas where nurses could be seen working with no doctors in sight.

Alex Kimeu, who had brought his cousin to KNH suffering from physical wounds sustained from an attack by thugs, lamented that since Wednesday night he was still waiting for treatment.

“They have just told us to wait. My brother was still bleeding heavily but they said they wouldn’t do much for him since they were attending to highly critical cases,” he said.

Thursday, the hospital’s CEO Richard Leserian confirmed that they are only focusing on critical and emergency services to save lives as they struggle to weather the crisis unleashed by the strike.

“We are lucky because not many patients are coming for treatment as usual. They probably just decided to remain at home or go to private hospitals when they heard about the strike,” he said.

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