Doctors have given the government 21 days to ensure the plight of medics and other healthcare workers are resolved failure to which they will call for a nationwide strike.
The doctors under the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union now want the government to provide standard and adequate Personal Protective Equipment to all Healthcare workers in all health facilities include private.
“We will be available for any engagement within those three weeks' failure to which we will have no choice but to rally our members for our nationwide strike,” KMPDU SG Chibanzi Mwachonda said.
“It is our lives first. It will not be business as usual. Doctors’ lives matter.”
The union held a national Advisory Council meeting on Sunday after infections among healthcare workers continued to rise exponentially, with more than 30 already having succumbed to the disease.
Four succumbed on Saturday alone. So far, 10 medics have died as a result of the virus to date.
They include Dr. Doreen Lugaliki, an obstetrician-gynecologist who was the first doctor to succumb to the virus, Dr Ndambuki Mboloi, a pulmonologist, Dr. Daniel Alushula, an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Vladimir Schuckin, a bariatric surgeon, Dr. Hudson Inyangala, a Public HEALTH Specialist and Dr. Emarah Ashraf, a plastic surgeon.
Others include Dr. Robert Ayisi, a pediatrician, Dr. Hudson Alumera, a periodontal surgeon, Dr. Faith Mbuba, a pharmacist, and Dr. Jackline Njoroge, a Physician.
In their meeting, the doctors also resolved that the government provides a comprehensive medical cover for all doctors and other healthcare works irrespective of whether they work in public or private hospitals.
