The Kenyatta National Hospital has outlined how the ongoing doctors' industrial action in Kiambu County has affected services at the level-six facility, despite not being in the same county.
In a statement on Wednesday, October 8, the hospital's acting CEO, Dr Richard Lesiyampe, stated that the hospital had been receiving an upsurge of sick patients from both Kiambu and Nairobi counties as a result of the ongoing medics' strike.
With KNH becoming the main point of care for patients in need of urgent treatment in both regions, Lesiyampe noted that several departments, especially the maternity one, had been bearing the brunt of the upsurge.
Reportedly, the maternity department has had to handle double its normal intake, with some cases getting to KNH too late and thus leading to fatalities.
"This has led to a sharp rise in the number of very sick patients arriving at the hospital – many in critical condition. The Maternity Department has been hardest hit, with the Labour Ward and Newborn Unit now handling more than twice their normal capacity," the statement read in part.
"Sadly, some of the mothers and babies are arriving too late, and a few have had poor health outcomes despite the best efforts of our dedicated medical teams."
In addition to the stretched capacity, the hospital has also reported immense pressure on essential hospital services such as operating theatres, the blood bank, and diagnostic services.
However, Lesiyampe asserted that KNH would remain committed to caring for all its patients despite the difficult circumstances.
As such, he urged all entities involved in the strike to resolve the issues promptly to ease pressure in Kenya's largest referral hospital.
"We, however, appeal to all parties involved in the ongoing industrial action to resolve their differences quickly. Restoring normal operations in Kiambu and Nairobi County hospitals will ease the pressure on KNH and ensure that patients receive care closer to their homes and on time," the statement read.
This comes just days after the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) alleged that at least 136 babies had passed on during the over four-month strike, a number that Kiambu County claimed was exaggerated.
Speaking at NTV on Tuesday, October 7, the county's Health Officer, Patrick Nyagah, denied the allegations, claiming that the union had given the number to cause alarm and paint an inaccurate picture of the current situation.
“When we look at these alarmist numbers, we find that in every category, they (KMPDU) have doubled the numbers. This is malice, putting out numbers that do not exist. The numbers that we are dealing with at this point are equal to the numbers that we were dealing with last year when there was no strike,” Nyagah noted.
