Doctors threaten to join nurses’ strike
Doctors in Mombasa have threatened to join the nurses strike if the stalemate between their assistants and the county government is not resolved.
The doctors are set to meet on Saturday to make a decision, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union secretary general Ouma Oluga said.
Doctors at the Coast General Referral Hospital, Port Reitz, Likoni and Tudor district hospitals said they cannot work without nurses.
“We all have our duties, but it becomes hard when nurses are not around,” said a doctor at Port Reitz district hospital.
Talks between the county government and the Kenya National Union of Nurses failed to end the stalement that has paralysed health services in the county. Nurses refused to return to work until they are paid their yearly uniform allowance.
On Thursday, county Health executive Binti Omar, labour officials and the union leaders held meetings to end the strike. The talks resumed on Friday but by 5pm the strike had not been called off.
Nurses at Port Reitz, Likoni, Tudor district hospitals and those from the country’s second largest mental institution at Port Reitz continued with their strike.
ALCOHOL ADDICTION
Mental patients and others struggling with alcohol addictions were left to their own devices.
Health workers at the Port Reitz District Hospital in the Mental Health and substance abuse department said they were waiting for their union leaders to tell them what next.
A nurse at the hospital who talked on condition of anonymity said the situation might worsen due to the strike as most outpatients will go without their medications.
“The mental institution is being manned by nurses. I hope the strike ends,” said the official.
Kenya National Union of Nurses Mombasa chairman Stanley Mwailongho said they were still in talks with the county government. “Nothing is forthcoming… let us wait and see,” he told Saturday Nation.
The strike is now on day four.
At the orthopedic ward, Mr Hassan Makau an accident victim from Mariakani said he depends on drugs.
“It’s been four days now since the nurses left. My wound has not been washed and it is smelling, we have nowhere to go. Some of the other patients are due for surgery but that has not happened,” he said.