Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) is demanding the closure of the 13 hospitals in Kiambu County with immediate effect because of unprecedented risk to patients and integrity of medical training as the doctors’ strike in the county approaches its 71st day.
In a letter to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) CEO Dr. David Kariuki, KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah warned that lives are at stake due to the lack of qualified consultants in the affected institutions.
“This has compromised the quality of care and placed the lives of patients at imminent risk,” Dr. Atellah said.
The union also raised alarm over the situation facing intern doctors, who are reportedly unable to proceed with their mandatory training due to the ongoing strike, while newly recruited contract medics say they’re working under unsafe and unsupported conditions.
At Gatundu Level V Hospital, intern doctors have officially downed their tools, saying the absence of senior consultants in critical departments has left them with no choice.
In a letter to the hospital’s Medical Superintendent and Internship Coordinator, the interns who began their rotations on July 15 said they tried to manage under pressure but have now reached their limit.
“We have unanimously agreed to down our tools immediately until the strike is officially resolved,” the interns wrote.
The interns had been posted to Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, and Internal Medicine. They are demanding that the time already served be recognized in their logbooks and that their assessments proceed in line with KMPDC guidelines.
They also recommended that colleagues temporarily redeployed from Surgery be allowed to complete those rotations before returning, to avoid derailing their training schedules. The group is expected to finish all four core rotations which include Psychiatry once normal services resume.
Besides the lack of staffing, the interns also pointed out systemic operational and infrastructural issues in the facility that they claim should be fixed before they return to work.
At the same time, medical practitioners at Ruiru Level IV Hospital have also raised such concerns regarding safety.
In a separate letter to the Kiambu County Chief Officer for Health Services, the medical practitioners welcome the recent promotions they have been given but warn that the continued lack of specialist consultants is putting patients and staff at risk particularly in the operating department.
They cited several incidents to elaborate on the extent of the problemOn June 2 and June 13, patients reportedly experienced intraoperative complications with no consultant present. On June 16, another patient nearly died in the operating theatre due to the absence of senior intervention.
“These situations have not only placed patients at risk but have also exposed us as newly appointed officers to undue medico-legal and professional liability,” the doctors wrote.
They are now calling for an immediate suspension of all theatre procedures until experienced consultant support is available.
However, they have committed to continue working in other departments including Maternity, Pediatrics, Medical Wards, the Newborn Unit, and Outpatient services.
