Medics leave injured doctor in casualty for more than 8 hours

Vihiga County Referral Hospital Emergency Entrance. [Brian Kisanji, Standard]

Vihiga County Referral Hospital (VCRH) Medical Superintendent, Victor Tsimbulu, is currently receiving treatment for serious head and facial injuries at the Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu following an attack by unknown assailants.

Dr Tsimbulu was attacked on the night of December 10 while on his way home in the Gambogi area.

He went missing that evening after leaving work, and frantic attempts by his family and colleagues to reach him were unsuccessful as his phone had been switched off.

The following morning, Tsimbulu was found unconscious and abandoned in a ditch in the Boyani area along the Kakamega-Kisumu highway. He was rushed to VCRH for emergency care.

Shockingly, staff at the hospital, unaware they were treating their medical superintendent due to his severe head injuries, left him in the casualty department for more than eight hours.

It was only later that day, when his family arrived at the hospital searching for him, that they identified Tsimbulu among the patients.

He was then transferred to Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu for specialised treatment.

Vihiga County Police Commander Zachariah Bittok confirmed the incident, stating that police are actively pursuing leads to apprehend the perpetrators. According to Bittok, members of the public discovered the injured doctor, bloodied and unconscious, at the Boyani trading centre before a Good Samaritan took him to the hospital.

The attack has sparked outrage among the medical fraternity, with the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) condemning the incident.

Speaking at the Vihiga hospital during a visit, KMPDU Secretary-General, Davji Atella, claimed the attack was premeditated and linked to Dr Tsimbulu’s firm stance on operational matters at the hospital.

“This doctor’s life has been in danger for a long time, and this is not an isolated case. Many doctors face similar threats for speaking out,” said Atella.

The union has issued a seven-day ultimatum for investigative agencies to arrest and charge those responsible for the attack, warning that doctors in the county will down tools if no action is taken.

Tsimbulu has previously faced challenges in his role as a mediator between medical staff and the Vihiga County Government.

In May 2024, protests erupted across Mbale town after Tsimbulu and the county’s Health Services Director, Benjamin Induswe, were suspended.

The suspensions followed accusations that they failed to resolve a one-month doctor’s strike that had crippled services at VCRH.

This was the second time Tsimbulu had been suspended for taking a firm stance during industrial action.

In November 2023, the County Public Service Board intervened to overturn a suspension issued by Health Services Chief Officer Mary Anyiendah.