The ongoing boycott by Kenyan doctors persisted throughout the nation as it entered its sixth consecutive day on Tuesday. Commencing on March 14, the health professionals initiated the boycott, citing grievances against the government’s inaction, notably their demand to assign 4,000 interns to medical facilities.
Davji Atellah, the Secretary-General of the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), emphasized that the strike would endure until their concerns were adequately addressed.
On Tuesday, Susan Nakhumicha, the cabinet secretary for the Ministry of Health, acknowledged the government’s efforts to tackle the doctors’ demands. “I commend our doctors and healthcare workers for their continued service provision, even as the Ministry of Health collaborates with relevant stakeholders to resolve the issues highlighted by their union,” Nakhumicha stated in a released statement following her inspection of crucial public health institutions in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital.
She reassured citizens that they could still access healthcare in public facilities, affirming the readiness of healthcare workers to attend to their needs. However, a scheduled meeting between Nakhumicha and the doctors’ union representatives on Tuesday did not materialize, dampening hopes for an imminent resolution to the crisis that has left numerous patients stranded nationwide.
Expressing frustration, Jacob Okumu, a patient from Kisumu in western Kenya, lamented the situation, highlighting the lack of assistance due to the ongoing strike. “For the second consecutive day, I’ve visited our main public hospital without receiving any aid because of the doctors’ strike. It’s imperative that the government intervenes to resolve this issue,” Okumu conveyed over the phone.
