Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko's government has come out to empower the medical and clinical officers in the county to assist assault and rape victims.
In a letter authored by the county Director of Health, Lucina Koyio, health officers handling sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases were given the lead in filling the P3 forms.
Private organisations dealing with the SGBV were also given the powers to fill the forms on behalf of the survivors in the county health facilities.
Some of the facilities that deal with SGBV cases include the Makadara Health Centre, Mama Lucy Hospital, Kasarani Health Centre, Dandora Health Centre and Lavender House MSF along Juja road among others..
Although the law allowing the medical officers to fill the forms was passed in 2018, it has been hindered by the fact that the doctors shied away from doing so, chiefly because of being required to appear in court as witnesses.
On this note, Sonko announced that the county would also facilitate the doctors to appear in court by handing them a small token.
Nairobi county agreed that they would offer a Ksh 1500 facilitation fee.
The county head hailed the new move insisting that it would reduce the congestion in police stations
"Health is a critical matter and we must make sure that all those seeking justice due to assault and other gender-related cases are helped in time," He stated.
In the past, once the P3 form was filled at the police station, the complainant was escorted by a police officer to a medical officer or practitioner for examination.
The form would then become an exhibit to be produced in court.
Before the law was passed only the Police Surgery in Kenya was allowed to fill the form and thus causing a backlog hence discouraging people to seek help.
Police Surgery in Nairobi is based at the old Traffic headquarters, Nairobi Area, Nairobi. This is a clinic where victims of violence were examined and the P3 form filled thereafter.
