Snakebite tragedy exposes patients' struggle as Laikipia nurses strike intensifies

She woke up early to prepare her six-year-old son for church.

At around 9.30 am, as she got ready, she heard the boy who had been basking outside the house, cry out in pain. A snake had bitten him on the arm.

Panicked, 46-year-old Eunice Kapuria tied a piece of cloth around the boy's arm in an attempt to slow the spread of the venom before rushing him to Nanyuki County Referral Hospital.

According to the mother, the boy was received at the hospital's emergency department at around 10.am, but was not treated.

This is despite snakebite being a medical emergency.

She alleges that health workers removed the cloth tied around his arm and referred him to a private hospital instead.

When she asked why her son could not be treated, Kapuria says she was told the hospital had no antivenom and there were no health workers available to manage his condition.

"I pleaded with the doctors at the emergency department to attend to my son, but they remained reluctant. They told me I would not receive the care he needed there and advised me to take him to a private hospital," Kapuria told The Standard.

It had taken her about 30 minutes to reach Nanyuki County Referral Hospital.

The mother spent another hour travelling to a private health facility.

However, the private hospital there was stock out of antivenom. She was instructed to buy the medicine from a nearby pharmacy.

As a boda boda rider rushed to purchase the drug, the boy's condition rapidly deteriorated- he died at around 1pm, while waiting for treatment.

He was buried on July 10, 2026.

"My son died because he was not attended to in time," Kapuria said.

“The snakebite was reported around 9.30am, I got to hospital at 10am, but no care was given. Doctors did not review him, apart from removal of a piece of clothe that I had tied around his arm,” she adds.

The mother attributes the death, to negligence, and ongoing nurses strike in Laikipia county.

Following the nurses strike, patients are not being admitted, she alleged.

“I know my son will never wake up, but my plea is to have this strike handled. It pains to bury a loved one, simply because they are not able to access care,” added the mother.

Snakebite, from a venom snake causes death if medical treatment is delayed.

Kapuria's ordeal is not an isolated case, hundreds of patients in Laikipia are struggling to access healthcare as nurses continue with their ongoing strike, leaving many public health facilities operating with limited services.

Nurses in the county have been on strike for the past 28 days.

The Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary General Seth Panyako said negotiations are ongoing on the matter.

“Nurses are not working, because of the strike,” said Panyako.

Concerning the case, he said health workers available should have attended to the boy, to save his life.

“I do not know who might have been at the hospital, but a snakebite is an emergency, if someone is not attended to on tine, they will die,” he said.

Efforts to get official comment on the matter remained unsuccessful.

On Friday last week, July 10, 2026, the county government of Laikipia directed all nurses to resume duty.

In a letter that The Standard has a copy, County chief officer for Health wrote to all nurses saying all their grievances had been addressed and there was no justifiable reason to keep off work.

The county chief acting officer Dr Timothy Panga said he county engaged nurses through Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives on July 9, 2026, where all previously raised grievances were discussed.

“It was observed that all the grievances previously raised have been addressed and there is no justifiable reason for the continued disruption of health services to the public,” reads a section of the statement.

But nurses are yet to resume duty, and no much of tehir demands has been met, neither adressed according to the union.

Yesterday, Panyako said officials from the union are meeting county leadership, to get a solution on the matter.

Among demands of nurses include promotions, unpaid salaries, promotions, and placement to permanent and pensionable basic, for those who are on contract.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU) has threatened to go on strike to demand issuance of medical cover to doctors.

Speaking to The Standard, KMPDU Dennis Miskellah said most counties have not issued doctors with a medical cover.

This he said makes it difficult for them to seek quality care, when sick.

“Medical cover is a big issue. We cannot be treating patients, providing them with care, yet we cannot get the same care,” said Miskellah.

Doctors according to the union are deducted Sh6,000 to be placed on a comprehensive cover, but majority are not able to access care.

Miskellah accused Governors of placing doctors under weak medical schemes, in private insurance providers.

“We are deducted money for medical insurance. It is our money. We need a proper medical cover for doctors across the country. Governors shall not continue sourcing for cheap medical cover, yet expect doctors to serve,” warned the union.

Currently, doctors in counties of Kericho, Isiolo and Meru are on strike.

In Kericho, doctors have been on strike for the last two days.

The doctors demand promotions, placing them on permanent and placement of pensionable employment basis.

In Isiolo, doctors have been out of work for eight weeks, demanding for salary payment, medical cover and promotions.

Doctors in the county have not received their three months salary.

Miskellah said the county hired about 10 doctors, on the onset of strike, but they are yet to rceive appointment letters.

Elsewhere in Meru, the main issue has been promotion.

According to the union, no single doctor has been promoted in the county including consultant ones, who are told to enrol for leadership courses.

Leadership training according to the union should be catered for by the county government, and not doctors.

“It is sad that in Meru, medical superintendents have been directed to hire doctors, on contract. This shall not be allowed. It is impossible to have doctors as casual labourers, put on contracts,” said Miskellah.

The union had planned for a strike in March, but it was called off after Governor Isaac Mutuma promised to actualise doctors demand.