Safeguard healthcare

The greatest achievement by the Generation Z protesters has been to get the national leadership to listen and address the people’s grievances. President William Ruto declined to assent to the controversial Finance Bill, 2024 that contained some “punitive and oppressive” tax proposals.

Also, thanks to the anti-government demonstrations, the President disbanded nearly his entire Cabinet. Parliament is now preparing to vet his new Cabinet secretary nominees. They include some members of the team he disbanded. This has not gone down well with the government’s youthful critics.

Though the right to picket and stage peaceful demonstrations is guaranteed by the progressive 2010 Constitution, exercising it has not been easy.

A brutal crackdown by security agencies has resulted in nearly 50 deaths, injuries to hundreds of other protesters and destruction of property. What is encouraging, though, is an apparent willingness by the parties concerned to resolve this national crisis. The only challenge is how this can be done.

But there is a palpable general apprehension.

All should be concerned that the protests are also undermining healthcare delivery. A survey has established that seven out of 10 hospitals in some 43 counties registered a decline in the number of patients seeking treatment due to transport disruptions during the protests.

The study carried out this month covering 214 healthcare facilities revealed that fewer people sought medical services. Some 69 per cent of the health workers interviewed said security concerns and the closure of hospitals had seriously disrupted their normal schedules. Some health facilities were vandalised by protesters and staff harassed by security personnel.

Many people, including those with chronic illnesses, are hesitant to travel during unrest. And whenever roads are barricaded, it is difficult even for healthcare workers to reach the facilities and attend to emergencies.

Perhaps, the regular demos should be halted to give the government time to act on all the demands that have been made.