22 Dec 2020
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) announced a nationwide general strike to begin Monday in the face of mounting Chinese coronavirus infections and deaths, which doctors say are the product of government incompetence in issuing proper protective gear.
The strike follows a similar walkout in September, also the result of doctors and other health workers expressing outrage at having to continually bury their coworkers throughout the pandemic. That month, government authorities revealed evidence the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa), the agency responsible for procuring protective gear for health workers, had signed multiple contracts with suspicious corporations that resulted in the needed equipment never arriving. Some of those companies had ties to government officials and were founded shortly before the deals were cut, with no evidence they had any experience in selling medical equipment.
Kenya: Pain, Suffering and Anger As Doctors Start Work Boycott allafrica.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from allafrica.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Patients and public health workers yesterday united apart in a day of tears: The medics bidding farewell to one of their own felled by coronavirus as their patients writhed in pain.
Hospitals remained deserted after doctors joined nurses and clinical officers in their strike.
Patients agonised as doctors officially declared job boycott at the burial of Dr Stephen Mogusu, who until his death was fighting Covid-19 at Machakos Level Five Hospital.
His colleagues say he lost the war to the virus because the government failed to listen to their pleas to improve working conditions – including providing protective gear, life and medical covers, promotions and recruiting more doctors.