Counties start hiring medics as crisis deepens

A deserted patients waiting room at Migori County Referral Hospital yesterday. [Caleb Kingwara, Standard]

Kakamega and Busia counties have started hiring medics to bridge the gap left by striking doctors, nurses and clinicians.

The two counties hope the move will alleviate patients' suffering occasioned by the current health crisis.

Busia County Service Board has already interviewed at least 55 candidates for the positions of medical officers.

The county is the process of hiring 10 medical officers, according to the County Service Board chairperson Asumpta Obore.

In Kakamega, governor Wycliffe Oparanya said his administration had decided to replace striking medics for participating in an illegal industrial action.

He said names of the striking medics would soon be expunged from the county's payroll unless they resume work.

Mr Oparanya said the court had declared the strike illegal and medics participating in it would only have themselves to blame.

Last week, the Kakamega County Assembly said it would not engage the striking health workers in dialogue but would instead hire new staff to replace them.

The board intends to hire 15 registered clinical officer III, 110 registered nurses III, 10 nutrition and dietetics technologists III, 10 medical social workers III and five medical laboratory technologists III.

Candidates are required to submit their applications online by December 31.

A stranded patient at Kisumu County Hospital on December 22. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

Governors have maintained that the demands made by the striking doctors, nurses and clinicians are unrealistic.

Oparanya, who is the Council of Governors (CoG) chairperson, said the medics' strike had nothing to do with counties because most of the issues being raised are the mandate of the national government.

Public hospitals in Migori were yesterday deserted as health workers defied governor Okoth Obado's plea to resume work.

At Migori Level Four Hospital, the wards and waiting bays were empty.

A spot check by The Standard revealed that patients were now seeking treatment at private hospitals, which were over-stretched.

St Akivida Memorial Hospital director Aggrey Idagiza said 20 babies were delivered at the hospital yesterday along. He said mothers who rely on Linda Mama government support got stranded as they could not pay maternity fees.

"We are in a dilemma. We don't know who will clear their bills. We are asking the government to provide us with the Linda Mama," said Dr Idagiza, adding that Linda Mama services were only being provided in government and mission hospitals.

Doctors, nurses and clinical officers protest along Digo road in Mombasa. [Omondi Onyango, Standard]

The county’s health chief officer Dalmas Oyugi said doctors, nurses and clinicians in the county were still on strike.

He said Migori Level Four, which is the main health facility in the county, was only admitting emergency cases.

In Siaya, patients kept away from public health facilities as health workers strike continued.

At Siaya County Referral Hospital, the outpatient benches were deserted, with only a handful of patients seeking services from the radiology department.

[John Shilitsa , James Omoro, Anne Atieno, Olivia Odhiambo]