Opposition leaders have threatened to join striking workers in the medical fraternity, signalling even more turbulent times ahead for Kenyans in need.
At the height of suffering, pain and agony of thousands of patients, the move could rekindle the ugly scenes of opposition-led anti-government protests after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki outlawed the demonstrations.
The CS while terming the downing of tools “illegal”, assured the workers that security agencies will safeguard public order.
He warned that meetings, protests or any other action to pursue grievances outside the law and in violation of court orders undermine the constitutional order of the country and are therefore not allowed.
“Law enforcement agencies are directed to ensure strict maintenance of law and order to protect the general public and the health workers who have chosen to obey the court order by providing services pending the resolution of the labour dispute,” he said.
But the leaders led by Kalonzo Musyoka accused the government of failing to tackle the crisis that has claimed the lives of over 500 patients 27 days later.
“We are consulting and if they do not stop this strike, obviously Kenyans are free to join…perhaps taking to the streets is the only language they understand.” Mr Musyoka said.
DAP-Kenya party leader Eugene Wamalwa called on Kenyans to brace for police confrontation and hurling of teargas.
“And if this government instead of addressing the problem, the root cause of this, it is going to use teargas and force against the doctors, as Azimio, we are ready to come out and stand with them,” said Mr Wamalwa.
The coalition reiterated that healthcare professions play a vital role in ensuring the health and wellbeing of Kenyans.
“We find the official response of Kenya Kwanza leader to be not only inadequate but completely out of touch with the people he leads,” Azimio leaders said.
“The ‘won’t pay, can’t pay parody that broke the extended silence speaks volumes about the regime’s regard for our healthcare workers,” said their statement.
The leaders who spoke in Nairobi on Tuesday urged President William Ruto to demonstrate his pre-election commitment to health sector by allocating adequate resources to improve working conditions for the healthcare professionals.
CS Kindiki who issued a statement earlier on Tuesday cautioned against victimization and threatening of medical workers who have defied the work stoppage.
This happened as a spot check in various hospitals across the country depicted hopelessness, despair and suffering as facilities suspended provision of vital services.
Despite Prof Kindiki maintaining that the industrial action is in defiance of the court ruling, the striking workers have reiterated that the paralysis in the health sector will continue for as long as the government wants.
Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary-General Dr Davji Atella affirmed that they will scale up the boycott and will not relent or be intimidated.
Medics walk past Parliament buildings in Nairobi on April 9, 2024, as they protested.
Photo credit: Evans Habil| Nation Media Group
Citing the ruling delivered by the Employment and Labour Relations Court in a case of Kenyatta National Hospital against KMPDU, the CS urged doctors to engage in conciliation and negotiation.
The situation at Nairobi’s Mbagathi Hospital was however dire for those who sought services at the referral facility.
The security guards took advantage of the desperation to mint cash from helpless patients as they demanded for Sh200 before any medical consultancies are made.
John Okati , one of the three patients who lay on the benches outside the hospital’s TB clinic disclosed that he had been there for the last three hours with no one attending to him.
“We were around 18 patients waiting to be served when I arrived at 8am, it is now 1.50pm and still there is no one. Many of the other patients who were waiting with me gave up and went back home,” he said.
“I have been coughing endlessly and I don’t think I can go home like this,” said the 40-year-old.
At the casualty area, few patients were being attended to while about 13 sat on the benches, staring at walls as if waiting for a miracle.
“Most of the doctors and nurses are a no show, we are being attended to by trainee students from the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC).
I hope will not be misdiagnosed,” Martha Wangari ,a grocery trader in Nairobi who told the Nation that she had come to seek treatment as she was experiencing a shortness of breath.
On the corridors of the facility, James Karimi dragged his injured foot slowly as he held his plastered arm at an elevated angle, perhaps not to injure it further.
At the Kiambu Referral Hospital, the corridors remained empty for the better part of the day.
Only one patient was at the laboratory tests window, waiting to be served by a receptionist.
In Migori, one child who was admitted at the county referral hospital’s pediatric ward on Monday succumbed to severe anemia few hours after admittance.
The management which operated with a skeletal personnel to treat and manage the few patients who remained in the wards sought to prioritization of emergency cases.
From an average number of about 40 patients, only eight children were admitted at the pediatric ward when Nation toured the facility on Tuesday.
In Mombasa County, the striking medics rejected a return-to-work order issued by the devolved unit in a bid to handle a pediatric pneumonia outbreak.
The management was forced to urgently recall all medics on leave and those off duty to handle the emergency that has seen several babies admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The children have been admitted in some private hospitals as services in public hospitals remained paralysed due to the ongoing nationwide strike.
In a closed-door meeting with KMPDU officials, Governor Abdulswamad Nassir’s administration pleaded with the medics to go back to work and save lives.
However, KMPDU Coast branch secretary, Dr Gharib Salim Ali, rejected the plea saying they were on strike which was called by their national office.
In a memo seen by Nation, dated April 8, 2024, the County Executive in charge of Health Dr Swabah Omar urged the doctors and clinical officers on leave to resume duty over the pediatric pneumonia outbreak.
“Following the increasing need for services in our facilities due to the outbreak of pediatric pneumonia among other diseases, I hereby direct that all doctors and the clinical officer who is on annual leave or off duty to be recalled back to work with immediate effect as to ensure smooth service delivery,” said Dr Omar.
Renowned pediatrician at the Aga Khan Hospital in Mombasa Dr Hemed Twahir told Nation that medics have in the last one month witnessed a surge in cases of diarrhea with pneumonia-like symptoms, including difficulty in breathing.
Additional reporting by Leon Lidigu, Daniel Ogetta and Kevin Cheruiyot
