Plight of patients as nurses' strike bites

Health workers in Nyeri County took to the streets to protest delayed salaries and promotions on August 18, 2015. They marched from the Nyeri Referral Hospital to the County Commissioners office before calling it off. PHOTO:KIBATA KIHU/STANDARD.

In the wake of the nurses' strike that has grounded health services to a halt in public health facilities, dialysis patients and expectant mothers have been the most affected.

The health workers downed their tools on Monday protesting failure by the county government to pay them July salaries, and effect their promotions and annual increments among other issues.

A spot check by The Standard at Consolata Mission Hospital, a Catholic-sponsored facility where patients flocked to seek treatment, brought to the fore the stark reality of how the industrial action has exacerbated the plight of patients.

For instance, 71-year-old Charles Wanjama, who has been undergoing dialysis for years, had to be rushed there on Wednesday evening in critical condition by his family after he was discontinued from his routine dialysis at Nyeri County Referral Hospital.

"He started having bouts of vomiting for the short period he stopped undergoing dialysis due to the strike by the nurses. The seriousness of the state he was in prompted us to take him to Consolata hospital," said Mwai Wanjama, his son.

At the same time, expectant mothers, who had previously gone to Nyeri County Referral Hospital, were forced to move to Consolata Hospital where they incurred costs they had not planned for.

As a result of the additional newborns whose number is beyond what Consolata could handle, the administration has already procured more incubators from the county government.

Another patient, 48-year-old Julius Mwangi, who was admitted at the Nyeri County Referral Hospital for two months with an infected leg, had to be transferred to Murang'a County Referral Hospital a few days after the leg was amputated.

Mr Mwangi's family led by his brother Boniface King'ori, a Nyeri business man, could not afford health services in private hospitals in Nyeri so they were forced to take him to Murang'a.

Mr King'ori said they had no choice because Consolata Hospital, their only viable option, was full to capacity when they got there.

When contacted, County Health Executive Charles Githinji acknowledged that patients were indeed suffering but quickly assured that the government was doing everything in its power to end the strike.

Reached consensus

"In fact, the money for July salaries, which the workers are demanding, is now available and they should expect it in their bank accounts by Friday (today)," Dr Githinji told The Standard.

Githinji expressed optimism that the Government will have reached a consensus with the health workers by the end of today so that they can resume work on Monday.

But speaking from Nairobi yesterday, Kenya National Union of Nurses Organising Secretary Ann Githiong'o said they will only report to work after receiving salaries and their other grievances are addressed.