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KENYA: Patients seeking specialised treatment at the Embu Level Five Hospital were turned away and referred to other health facilities as a strike by medical doctors entered day eight Wednesday.
The wards at the facility which acts as a referral to other hospitals in Embu, Kirinyaga, Tharaka-Nithi and parts of Machakos counties remained deserted as families have transferred their patients elsewhere.
Only a few sick persons who said they lack money for transport to other hospitals remained in the wards where they were attended to by clinical officers and nurses.
The strike by doctors, dentists and pharmacists to demand hiring of more medics and their promotions began Wednesday.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Unionsaid the county has a shortage of 96 medics leaving the about 60 available overworked, but the Embu County Assembly budget and appropriations committee dismissed the shortage as non-existent.
Committee Chairman Joseph Mwaniki, however, ruled out employing more doctors since the hospital's salaries consume 54 percent of the Sh3 billion wage bill.
The committee wants duty roster adjusted to ensure each of the 53 doctors at Embu Level Five Hospital work 168 hours in a month ensure maximum output by each health worker to solve the staffing issues County Executive Health Member Pamela Njagi said the county has limited resources and has to balance the various cadres in medical profession.
Even as the stand-off between the county government and the KMPDU persist, patients continue to suffer, as those who chose the Embu hospital for NHIF are required to pay cash on seeking services elsewhere.
Evidently in pain, Patrick Ireri 45, who had gone for treatment for chest pains almost broke into tears as he was wheeled out of the hospital into a waiting taxi to seek treatment in another facility.
Ireri said after being attended to at the outpatient department he was to be admitted but due to the strike he was advised to move to a different hospital.
The patients we spoke to appealed to the county administration to urgently find a solution to the crisis and end the suffering of many.
Many patients were being referred to hospitals in Kirinyaga and Tharak-Nithi counties or privately owned hospitals.
Public service vehicle drivers and bodaboda riders who ply the Embu town- hospital route complained their business had suffered as there few people using the route.
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