This archive report was first published on 24 September 2019.
Locals Suffer as Medics in Taita Taveta Refuse to End Strike ¶
Residents in Taita Taveta County are facing a health crisis as health workers continue their strike, which has left many without access to medical care.
Mr. Jackson Mbithi's mother, Jane Kathumbi, 55, was admitted to Taveta Sub-County Hospital on Monday last week due to high blood pressure and diabetes. However, she was discharged prematurely on Friday last week, just as the strike by health workers began.
Mr. Mbithi says his mother's condition rapidly deteriorated, and she was pronounced dead at 8 pm as they were making plans to take her to Machakos Level Five Hospital for treatment.
Over 1,000 health workers in the county, including members of the Kenya Medical, Pharmacists and Dentists' Union (Kmpdu), Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun), Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (Kuco), Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers, and Kenya Health Professionals Society, went on strike on Friday last week.
The health workers have vowed not to return to work or participate in talks not meant to resolve grievances raised through their unions. They are complaining of persistent unresolved issues, including constant salary delays, late remittance of statutory and third-party deductions, poor working conditions, and shortage of staff.
Knun officials revealed that they had been invited for talks on Tuesday by the county government. However, they have warned that they will not end the strike if the county government does not provide a solution to their grievances.
Mr. Ogola, Knun's Organising Secretary, said, 'We will attend the meeting but if they have no solution to the issues we raised, we will not end the strike.'
He also alleged that their lives are in danger as some of the union officials are being threatened by unknown people.
Residents are suffering as they are forced to seek treatment in private hospitals, which they cannot afford. A Voi resident, Fatuma Oyera, said, 'They should resolve this strike immediately to reduce the suffering by ordinary residents who cannot afford costly treatment in private hospitals.'
