Terminally ill patients turned away at Kenyatta National Hospital as striking doctors dig in

James Jomba from Kirinyaga County, after he was turned away at Kenyatta National Hospital. [PHOTOS: KEVIN TUNOI AND WILLIS ODIWUOR/ STANDARD]

Patients, including the terminally ill, were turned away at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) as the health workers' strike entered the second day yesterday.

Those who had been scheduled for check-ups and other medical procedures had to go back home to seek treatment in private hospitals with reports that a handful of nurses were attending to emergency cases.

Fourty-one-year-old James Jomba, a cancer patient, could not hide his disappointment when he arrived at KNH only to learn there was no doctor to attend to him.

He had to restart the two-hour journey back to his home in Kirinyaga County and spent another Sh500 on transport having missed his appointment due to the ongoing strike by doctors and nurses.

Jomba said he had to buy some drugs over the counter to relieve his pain. "I was here by 9am and after waiting for several hours, I was told the doctor who was to attend to me is not available," Jomba said when The Standard caught up with him at the referral hospital.   

"The doctor told me to come for check-up on the progress for the just-ended radiotherapy session," said Jomba who cancer has left with a tongue swollen such that he has difficulties speaking.

After he was diagnosed with the condition early this year, Jomba says he was assigned a doctor who was to check his progress yesterday.

"If they call off the strike, I will still come back tomorrow because I am in a lot of pain," he said.

Eunice Peters, who has a patient at the facility, however said some medics were working despite the strike that has affected all public health facilities in the country.

"I have a patient who was admitted here on Sunday with a diabetes-related complication and he has been receiving the necessary treatment," she said.

Unlike on Monday, most doctors and nurses kept off the hospital yesterday and the few who were present were in civilian clothes and did not want to be seen.

"Things are relatively normal here. You know we cannot leave emergency cases such as women in labour or an accident victim," said a nurse who declined to be named.

She added:"For us, we do what we can and leave everything else to God. But we really hope this strike can be is called off, people are suffering."

This came as patients with chronic illnesses from the larger western region flocked the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.

The patients, mostly in search of dialysis and chemotherapy services, have been flocking the second largest referral hospital in the country from as far as Kakamega, Kisumu, Kericho and Narok counties.

Emily Achieng from Kisumu, whose daughter has renal complications, called on the Government to intervene to have the doctors resume duty.

"We are suffering. The Government should find a solution to the stalemate. My daughter suffered renal failure and fully relies on dialysis. I was unable to get the services in Kisumu because doctors are on strike," said Achieng.

Celestine Ajema,18, was among 10 patients undergoing dialysis at the hospital. There was no doctor to attend to her at the Kakamega County Referral Hospital.

"I rely on dialysis because my kidney has failed. My survival is threatened. I had to come all the way because I cannot afford fees in a private hospital," said Ajema.

Pesi Langa'to from Narok County appealed to the Government and health workers to agree on how the 2013 Collective Bargain Agreements (CBAs) to end the suffering patients have been forced to endure.

The 58-year-old had travelled all the away in readiness for dialysis that had been scheduled for today.

"I came with my wife who will be taking care of me. It is a tough situation for us because we have already spent Sh2,000 on transport alone," said Langa'to.

Daisy Jemutai from Kapsoit, Kericho County, said she has only been attended to by nurses.

This came as the county governments, it emerged, are planning to hire other health workers to mitigate the effects of the strike. Sources revealed Nakuru County had already received over 5,000 applications. 

Additional reporting by Antony Gitonga and Renson Mnyamwezi