Doctors Issue Strike Notice After Recording Highest Covid-19 Deaths

 Doctors through the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union have issued a 21-day strike notice.  

The strike follows the death of medical practitioners who lost their lives in the line of duty while handling Covid-19 cases.   

In a Sunday statement, KMPDU noted that the deaths could have been avoided if the government had provided better Personal Protective Equipment.   

KMPDU has now called on the government to provide standard and adequate PPEs to all Healthcare workers in all health facilities, including 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.  

The resolution was arrived at following a national Advisory Council meeting on Sunday after infections among healthcare workers rose exponentially.  

To date, more than 30 health workers have already succumbed to the disease.  

Four succumbed on Saturday alone. So far, ten 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.  

Additionally, the doctors demanded that the government provide a comprehensive medical cover for all doctors and other healthcare works irrespective of whether they work in public or private hospitals.