79 dead as nurses' strike enters day 37

Pateints left waiting because of the ongoing  nurses' strike. [File, Standard]

About 79 patients have lost their lives across the country as the ongoing nurses’ strike enters day 37.

According to health professional associations representing  nurses, midwives, doctors and clinical officers, eight maternal deaths, 16 neonatal deaths and 55 perinatal deaths have been recorded nationally between Monday and Wednesday this week.

The professionals warn that the prolonged delay in operations puts patients at more risks as the situation could lead to more avoidable deaths.

The figures were presented during a press briefing on Thursday, with Kisumu, Nakuru, Kakamega and Kajiado reporting some of the highest numbers.

The professionals said the disruption is also affecting patients requiring specialised care, including those undergoing dialysis, as well as patients who need hospital admission.

“Most of the healthcare facilities in the public are not taking in admissions,” said Dr Supa Tunje, a paediatrician representing the doctors’ fraternity.

She said only Level Six facilities were able to take in some of the patients requiring advanced or specialised services, but warned that these facilities may not be able to absorb the numbers needing care.

The strike has also disrupted clinical training for nursing, medical and clinical officer students who require mandatory placements in health facilities before graduating.

Dr Eunice Atsali, Vice-President of the Midwives Association of Kenya, said the disruption was pushing some women to seek care outside health facilities.

“Our women actually have gone back to giving birth in the village,” she said.

The professionals called on the national and county governments, unions, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and other stakeholders to return to the negotiating table and resolve the dispute.

Kenya Clinical Officers Association secretary-general Joseph Chibi warned that continued delays would lead to more avoidable deaths.

“If we continue delaying, we will have many more losses,” he said.

The strike was called by the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives, which the professionals said remains responsible for determining when it will be called off.