Patients feel the pain as doctors' strike continues

Services including admission of patients have been paralyzed in Nakuru hospital. (Photo: Caroline Chebet/Standard)

The medics, who started their strike last Friday, say they will only resume after they are paid.

Patients were left to their own devices for the third day yesterday as doctors in public hospitals across the county continued their strike.

Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) South Rift Secretary General Davji Atellah said they would not return to work until the county government paid them. The doctors have not been paid since December, according to the union.

"Doctors will not go back to work till all the money is paid according to the agreement. The county cannot expect us to work without pay," said Dr Atellah.

There were no major services available when The Standard visited the hospitals yesterday. At Elburgon Hospital, there was minimal work and only emergency cases were being handled by clinical officers and nurses.

"We have a total of five doctors, among them three medical officers and two pharmacists, who are all on strike. We are therefore forced to handle only emergency services," said the hospital's medical superintendent, George Biket.

At Bahati Hospital, services were being extended to outpatients only, while nurses gave drugs to HIV and Aid, and TB patients.

There were no admissions at Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital, a Level Five hospital that provides referral services to patients from Nakuru, Bomet, Narok, Nyandarua, Laikipia, Samburu and Kericho counties.

The hospital was also not admitting patients and was planning to discharge those in the wards.

Beatrice Kavere from Gilgil was turned away as there was no doctor available to examine her two-month-old baby who had severe fever.

Robert Thuo from Njoro was also disappointed to find no doctors to attend to his fractured legs.