The doctors strike has left many patients in agony and families in tears after losing their loved ones.
The family of Enos Kistao has been thrown into mourning after he died because there was no doctor to attend to him at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) on Friday last week.
Family representative Julius Ngala said they first took Kistao to Mariakani and they were referred to CGTRH.
“When we arrived at CGTRH at around 2pm on Friday last week, all the tests were done to diagnose the problem. We stayed in the hospital up to 5pm with no treatment because the doctors were on strike,” he said.
“We were later told our patient could not be admitted and they could not administer any medication so we were left with no option but to seek help at a private hospital."
Ngala said they went to Mewa hospital, a private facility, where they were told to pay for all the tests that were done afresh.
After the results were out, they were told to pay a deposit of Sh40,000 before treatment but they were unable to raise the money.
“There is a doctor at Mewa hospital who we really appreciate as a family because he assessed our patient and advised us to go back to CGTRH. We went back but upon arrival at around 1am, the patient was tired and he could not even speak,” he said.
He said when they arrived at CGTRH, the patient was finally accepted because his condition had worsened.
The patient was taken to the intensive care unit but 30 minutes later, Ngala said they received the sad news that their patient had died.
He said Kistao was sick but due to family responsibilities, he used to say he was okay and he never sought treatment until Thursday last week when he could no longer bear the pain.
The results revealed there was enlargement of the heart, which caused obstruction in the colon and difficulty in breathing.
Ngala urged the government to do what needs to be done to ensure doctors go back to work because patients are suffering. The doctors went on strike on March 14.
Coast region KMPDU secretary general Ghalib Salim told the Star that CGTRH is empty due to the strike.
“What we want as doctors is our demands to be addressed and the implementation of the CBA, nothing more,” he said.
