This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
Published on July 16, 2020, a critical period in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, health workers at Lamu's largest hospital downed their tools in protest of poor working conditions.
According to a spot check by the Nation, the health workers, including doctors, clinical officers, nurses, lab technicians, and support staff, reported to the hospital in the morning but were seated under a tree in the compound.
The medics, who wished to remain anonymous due to fear of reprisal, accused the County Government of failing to conduct immediate procedural contact tracing to ascertain who came into contact with their sick colleagues.
"We're unhappy with the county administration. It's almost a week since our six colleagues were found to be positive. There's nothing we've been told on matters like contact tracing and possible quarantine for some of us who came into contact with our sick colleagues. We feel unsafe here," said a medic.
Another striking worker called on Governor Fahim Twaha's administration to engage them in dialogue, especially on issues to do with Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).
"We're too exposed to the virus since we don't have enough PPEs at the moment. It's unfortunate that despite being on the frontline during this period of Covid-19, the county government has not been keen on protecting us against the disease," said the worker.
Lamu County Commissioner Irungu Macharia confirmed that six health workers at the hospital were indeed found to be positive, having contracted the virus after attending to a 60-year-old woman who succumbed to the disease recently.
So far, the archipelago has confirmed 19 virus cases and one death. Mr Macharia called on members of the public to adhere to all set guidelines to curb the spread of coronavirus.
