The Kiambu County government has begun sacking striking doctors, accusing them of endangering patients' lives by abandoning their posts.
County Executive Committee Member for Health, Elias Maina, confirmed on Wednesday, May 28, that an undisclosed number of doctors who downed their tools a day earlier had been relieved of their duties.
“We have started taking action against doctors who failed to report to work,” Maina said. “A headcount is ongoing to establish those who absconded from duty, and they will be replaced immediately with equally qualified professionals.”
The CEC Member also emphasised that a considerable sum from the Ksh8 billion annual county budget was dedicated to healthcare, adding that investment must be matched by accountability from healthcare workers.
In the build-up to the strike on Tuesday, the Kiambu County government attempted to involve the courts to quell the doctors' industrial action.
The attempt to secure a court order failed, prompting the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) to okay the boycott of services in the county.
KMPDU National Chairman, while flanked by Dr James Githinji and Dr Bill Muriuki on Tuesday, said the strike was a means to voice various injustices Kiambu doctors were reportedly subjected to by the county's leadership.
"We are here to announce that the doctors' strike in Kiambu County is ongoing because the leadership of the county is not interested in resolving matters brought before them," Mwachi said on Tuesday.
Besides salary demands, the doctors also accused the county government of delayed promotions and unprocedural dismissal.
However, in a rejoinder, the County Executive Committee Member for Health refuted claims that salary delays were behind the strike as he insisted the county government has consistently been fulfilling its obligations to the doctors.
The CEC also confirmed that investigations were underway into the succumbing of an infant in Kiambu County who reportedly passed away due to negligence at a public facility after the strike.
According to the infant's kin, the baby was brought in with complications from pneumonia and was reportedly denied proper care and an ambulance transfer to another facility.
While issuing their strike threat, the KMPDU officials advised patients, excluding those who were critically ill, to be discharged from public health facilities and be referred to hospitals in neighbouring counties.
