MOST OF THE BEDS In The
Maternity Ward Of Kihara Level 4 Hospital On The Outskirts Of The Kenyan Capital,
Nairobi, Are Empty.
One Nurse Says The
Hospital Does Not Receive Women Who Need Surgery Because There Is No Doctor To
Perform The Surgery. Doctors Here And Across The Country Have Been On Strike
For About A Month Now.
Patients Are Now Forced
To Go To Expensive Private Hospitals Or Delay Treatment, Resulting In Chronic
Illness And Sometimes Death.
The Doctors Are On Strike
Citing A Number Of Issues, Including Pay And The Failure To Hire Trained
Doctors, Who Cannot Qualify Without Training.
Doctors Are Aware Of The
Problems Caused By The Strike But They Claim That Taking Action Is Necessary
"To Help The Public Get Better Health Services" In The Long Term, As
Their Working Environment And Lack Of Equipment Mean They Cannot Treat Patients
Properly, He Says. Davji Bhimji, General Secretary Of Doctors Union, KMPDU.
President William Ruto Has Asked The Doctors Who Are On Strike To Return To Work And Agree To The Standard That The Government Has Given Saying That The Country Must "Live According To Our Means".
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