Two-time Tokyo Ekiden 10km champion Edwin Mokua is worried that the looming doctors' strike in Nakuru County will hurt his rehabilitation following a hippo attack while on a training run last season.
Mokua was training alongside Dennis Kipkosgei in an open field on the shores of River Ewaso when the incident happened, leaving him with a broken left hand as well as four ribs that need to be operated on.
He was angling to make his 42km debut at the Izmir Marathon in Turkey on October 4.
“I was supposed to go into the theatre on Monday evening and I still have hope that I will even though there is a looming doctors' strike. My prayer is that dialogue prevails to avoid the strike, which will hurt not only me but other patients in need of specialised treatment,” said Mokua.
The Trabzon Half Marathon champion said he is currently using test tubes to clear the internal bleeding but he is also worried about the ballooning hospital bill .
“I am told the theatre bill will be about Sh15, 000 in addition to the five X-rays that cost Sh700 each. We also had to deposit Sh15,000 with the hospital,” added Mokua, a 2014 Africa Junior cross country runner.
The Ekiden 10km champion in 2013 and 2014 said he is the family breadwinner, with wife and two young children. He claimed Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) had not contacted him following the incident that happened on September 29.
“KWS have not not made any follow-ups after the incident. My family is suffering back home,” added Mokua.
