Uniting for Healthcare Amidst the Doctors' Strike

Uniting for Healthcare Amidst the Doctors' Strike.

By MAXIMILLA WAFULA & PATRICK KIMANZI (EDITOR)

The COUNTY DIARY News 

NAIROBI, KENYA, April 23, 2024 - The ongoing doctors' strike in Kenya, now entering its sixth week, has ignited a critical plea from the Caucus of Patient-Led Organizations, fronted by the Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance Kenya (NCD Alliance Kenya). This rallying cry is directed towards both the Government of Kenya and the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU), urging immediate action to mitigate the strike's severe impact on patient care and the nation's healthcare system.

Essential healthcare services have been gravely compromised since the strike's inception, leading to preventable losses and a healthcare system teetering on the edge of crisis. Tragically, this crisis materialized in the recent loss of a child in Isiolo due to diabetes complications, serving as a stark reminder of the dire consequences of the ongoing strike.

The strike's blow is harshest on patients battling non-communicable diseases (NCDs), already a significant health burden in Kenya. Currently, NCDs contribute to 50% of hospital admissions, 55% of hospital deaths, and 33% of total deaths nationwide. With the strike persisting, the challenges faced by these patients intensify, underlining the urgent need for a resolution.

John Gikonyo, Board Vice-Chair at NCD Alliance Kenya, highlighted the peril, especially for those with chronic conditions like diabetes, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases, who require continuous medical care.

Evans Majau, a parent to a child with rheumatic heart disease, emphasized the criticality of both parties returning to negotiations with a spirit of compromise. "It is crucial that both parties come back to the negotiating table with a willingness to find a middle ground. The health of our nation depends on it," Majau stated.

Dr. Catherine Karekezi, Executive Director at NCD Alliance Kenya, underscored the necessity for leadership, compassion, and accountability in addressing the healthcare crisis.

The NCD Alliance Kenya appeals to the Government of Kenya and the KMPDU to prioritize patient welfare and urgently resolve the doctors' strike for the nation's well-being.