County Proposes Law to Punish Health Workers Ignoring Patients

Mombasa County has come up with a law seeking to punish health workers who fail to provide emergency medical treatment yet they are able to.

The Mombasa County Health Bill 2015 proposes a fine of not less than Sh1 million or a 1 year jail term for a negligent medic.

According to the Assembly Health Committee Vice-chairman Mary Akinyi the bill has already been tabled before the County Assembly.

The proposed law  however grants the medics rights to deny an abusive patient services except in a situation where no other health worker is available.

The workers are also provided with the right to safe working environment and right to apply for and accept a salaried post in public service or private sector The Nation reports.

Other key proposals made in the Bill are the establishment of an emergency kitty that will ensure services at the hospital are provided uninterrupted.

If passed the bill will come as a reprieve to the residents, many of whom have lamented over negligence by health workers especially at the Coast General Hospital.

Health services in Mombasa have in the past been paralyzed following a series of strikes by health workers over pay and working conditions.