The situation at Mombasa public hospitals is getting worse as the doctors strike enters day six.
The Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) is deserted, with few patients walking in and out because all clinics are closed. No service is being offered. The hospital is usually busy, with long queues, especially on Tuesdays.
Juliet Njeri, who had brought her daughter for treatment found the children's clinic closed.
"I came here very early in the morning to avoid the usual long queues but upon arrival, I found the clinic closed. I was told doctors are on strike. I have no choice but to go back home," she said.
An insider told the Star that apart from the clinics being closed, patients are dying in wards.
"The situation is bad. It is not just about the strike and people being sent home, some patients in the wards are dying. My prayer is that this issue be sorted as people are losing their loved ones due to lack of treatment," the insider said.
A doctor, who sought anonymity, said medics assigned to attend to patients at the emergency section have been withdrawn.
The doctors handling emergencies are employed directly by CGTRH and not by the ministry.
He said consultants at the paediatric, surgery, physicians and diabetic clinic are no longer serving patients.
"All we are asking is for the government to meet our demands. We have interns who have papers but they are home with no job," the doctor said.
"The government is telling us they do not have money yet people are paying taxes."
On Monday, Health CS Susan Nakhumicha held a meeting with the union officials, but they failed to agree on a solution.
The CS said interns will be posted on April 1.
The source told the Star the government has threatened to slash doctors allowances, including money paid for emergency calls, saying that according to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, all employees are equal.
"The government does not want to commit to paying our allowances, something that is also causing all these problems. They say the allowances are unconstitutional, yet it was agreed in the previous government that it is legal but now they want to remove it," the source said.
He said doctors want to ensure the rights they were given in 2011 remain the same.
Promotion of doctors is also among the demands doctors want the government to implement.
