Go back to work or face the sack, Kagwe tells striking medics

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe giving Covid-19 status on April 20, 2020. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NMG

By NASIBO KABALE
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Summary

• Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said that the State has done the best to ensure medics have a safe working environment yet they still chose to go on strike.
• Doctors working in government hospitals began a countrywide strike Monday over inadequate insurance benefits and lack of protective equipment while treating Covid-19 patients.
• Mr Kagwe said that they have no choice but replace striking health workers.

Health workers on strike risk losing their jobs, the government has said stating that some of the issues raised are not attainable.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said that the State has done the best to ensure medics have a safe working environment yet they still chose to go on strike.

Doctors working in government hospitals began a countrywide strike Monday over inadequate insurance benefits and lack of protective equipment while treating Covid-19 patients.

Mr Kagwe said that they have no choice but replace striking health workers.

“All Kenyans have been affected by the pandemic. Not to downplay the great work they have been doing because they are at more risk than other workers, but now is not the time to go on strike.

The health paralysis in the country continued for the second day with patients left suffering across the country.

Various hospitals were empty with doctors, nurses and clinical officers staying away.

Kenya has 94,768 confirmed cases of the Covid-19, up from 38,713 in October 2 and has reported 1,647 fatalities so far,

The virus has been spreading to rural areas where the public health system is creaking and limited intensive care units (ICU) are full, which has led to patients being turned away, medics told Reuters this month.

Nearly three quarters of Kenya’s ICU beds are in the two largest cities, Nairobi and Mombasa.

In August, doctors in most public hospitals in the capital went on strike for a week to protest against delays in salary payments and lack of protective equipment.

At least 14 doctors have died of the virus since the first coronavirus case in Kenya was confirmed in March, according to the doctors union.