More patients die in Nakuru as doctors' strike persists

Up to 50 people have reportedly died at Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital since doctors went on strike two weeks ago to push for promotions.

Mortuary attendants told The Standard that between three and four people have been dying at the hospital daily since September 16 when the strike started.

When operations are normal, a day would pass without a body being booked at the morgue, they said.

Some patients have been forced to seek treatment in private hospitals as those who cannot afford remain at the facility hoping for a better day.

"What do you expect from patients whose relatives cannot afford to take them to private hospitals? People are dying and the mortuary has been a beehive of activity over the last 12 days," said an attendant, adding the management has given them strict orders not to divulge any information.

Hopes for an end to the crisis were dashed after Governor Kinuthia Mbugua ruled out any talks with the doctors. Mbugua who spoke at Naivasha sub-county hospital said demands by their union are impractical.

"Last year, we bent the rules and allowed promotions. We cannot do this again. It's illegal and against the scheme of service. The officials think they can use the strike to have their way. We'll not be moved," he said.

Activities in public hospitals across the county remain paralysed. Some patients have been forced to seek treatment in neighbouring counties.

At the county hospital's general ward, we meet six patients who are unattended. Their relatives remain by their bedsides hoping things will normalise. They cannot afford the fees in private hospitals and have no means of transferring them to other counties.

By Yesterday, the ward with a capacity of 40 patients remained deserted as nurses were seen basking in the sun. Wards 12 (female) and 11 (male) have three and four patients respectively.

Only wards, 13 and 10, where accident victims are admitted, remained full to capacity. A few nurses and Kenya Medical Training College students are seen dressing wounds.

At the causality, workers from a construction site race against time to move Francis Mungai from a Tuk Tuk to a stretcher and wheel him to the X-Ray room. However, there is no one to attend to Mungai who got injured after falling from a building in Nakuru town.

"This is an emergency but nurses seem not to care. Our friend could slip into a coma and we fear for his life," said one colleague.

James whose left leg was smashed on Friday following a motorcycle accident is in the waiting room. His knee is swollen and needs emergency X-Ray but just like Mungai, there is no one to attend to him.

"I crawled from the causality area as nurses and security officers watched unperturbed. This crisis should be resolved to save patients," said a tearful James.

Mbugua accused the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union of misleading its members. "The deadlock should be blamed on the officials who keep shifting goal posts," he said.

The union wants 32 doctors posted by inter-governmental committee in April paid and employed on permanent basis, and their salaries backdated to April. They are also demanding for promotion of several doctors.