Patients suffer as Embu medics’ strike enters day 6

Residents of Embu County have been forced to seek treatment from hospitals in the neighbouring Kirinyaga County following a health workers' strike which has entered the sixth day.

The residents are flocking Kerugoya and Kimbimbi hospitals as health workers from Embu continue keeping away from their places of work.

The influx of patients has led to crowding in various Kirinyaga health facilities, raising fears of a possible spread of Covid-19.

"I have travelled all the way from Embu to Kerugoya to seek health services because all operations at Embu Level Five Hospital have been halted due to the strike," one of the patients said.

Relatives have withdrawn their patients from Embu Level Five Hospital because there are no health workers to attend to them.

Some of the patients whose families could not afford the exorbitant medical fees required in private hospitals or the bus fare required to travel to Kirinyaga were taken home even before recovering from the diseases they were suffering from.

Poor working conditions

Patients have been suffering since Tuesday when the workers laid down their tools protesting against what they termed as poor working conditions.

Relatives said their patients had been left alone in the wards without anyone to treat and serve them food and they had to intervene.

Mr Kariavu Njeru narrated how he found his relative abandoned in a hospital ward and took her home.

“I had to take my patient home because I couldn't raise Sh150,000 for admission at a private hospital," he said.

The workers went on strike paralysing all health services in the region, and vowed to remain put until their grievances are addressed by Governor Martin Wambora's administration.

They complained that Embu Level Five Hospital is filthy and lacks adequate drugs for patients.

The protesters said casual workers have not been cleaning wards and other places due to non-payment of their wages and wondered how the county government expected them to deliver services in an unhygienic environment.

The workers said they were at risk of contracting diseases and swore to keep away from the hospitals.

No drugs in hospitals

Further, they said the hospitals lack drugs while patients are being fed on a poor diet.

The workers accused the Embu county government of not addressing their plight.

They also said deductions from their salaries amounting to over Sh400 million had not been remitted to the National Hospital Insurance Fund, Kenya Revenue Authority and various banks.

Kenya National Union of Nurses chairman Joseph Ngwasi lamented that their grievances have fallen on deaf ears.

“This government has totally failed to listen to us and that is why we have taken an industrial action," he said.

Mr Ngwasi said the patience of the workers had run out and they would remain on strike until the county agrees to enter into dialogue with them.