Crisis as Nakuru doctors down tools

Operations in most public hospitals in Nakuru County have been paralysed after more than 150 doctors in various cadres went on a go-slow over delayed salaries.

Speaking to Citizen TV on phone, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU) South Rift Secretary General Dr Davji Atellah said that the doctors opted for the move after the county failed to pay them their July salaries on time.

According to Dr Atellah, the county government promised to be paying workers by the 3^rd of every month, a promise that has never been honoured hence resulting into numerous strikes.

He added that a majority of hospitals do not also have essential drugs like antibiotics and painkillers, an issue that worsens the crisis in the health sector.

“Most healthcare workers are frustrated following the delayed pay, it is very hard for the doctors to commute to the hospital and attend to patients,” he said.

The most affected areas according to him include Ikumbi Dispensary in Kuresoi North, Rongai sub County and parts of Njoro sub County.

Atellah pointed out that Ikumbi Health Centre that lies at the border of Kuresoi North and South constituencies serves a large number of people but lacks the most basic facilities to handle medical cases.

Thomas Ombati, who is the facility’s chairman, said they have been sidelined in budgetary allocation, which has greatly hampered its expansion.

“We require 16 medical practitioners yet we only have one doctor and four nurses, with the frequent shortage of drugs forcing them to refer patients to chemists,” said Ombati.

Speaking to Citizen Digital, the county finance executive, Anne Njenga, said they are waiting for Senate to approve expenditure, claiming the issue was cutting across other counties. She further added that all employees were issued with a memo informing them that their salaries would be delayed.

Meanwhile, the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) has also threatened to paralyse services in all public hospitals following delayed pay which according to KNUN Nakuru Branch Secretary General Nakuru Cyprine Odera has left most healthcare workers frustrated.