In short
At least seven patients in Kotido district are feared dead while hundreds are ailing in their respective villages following a strike by medical workers that commenced last Tuesday. The medics say they have not been paid their salaries for four months. The money has now accumulated to over 400 million shillings in arrears.
At least seven patients in Kotido district are feared dead while hundreds are ailing in their respective villages following a strike by medical workers that commenced last Tuesday. The medics say they have not been paid their salaries for four months. The money has now accumulated to over 400 million shillings in arrears.
Reports from Kaicheri Health Centre 3 indicate death of seven people after they admitted themselves in the facility last week finding no medical help.
Also at Panyangara Health Centre 3 few patients were on Wednesday found basking in the morning sun as some children occasionally passed frequent watery stools.
A visit to Kotido Health Centre IV on Wednesday revealed that the usually congested facility was deserted. A few patients sat under one tree with little hope of seeing medical personnel. Another two female patients in their ward groaned on their sheet and blanket-less beds.
Longok Apo 48, a breast cancer patient and a resident of Panyangara in Kotido district, says her hope of getting better is lost after failing to find treatment. She adds that she travelled on foot over 30 kilometres with all the pain due to lack of money.
Franco Oketcho, a resident of Rengen Sub County says her relative was brought for treatment on Wednesday, only to meet striking medics. He explains that no treatment had been administered to his patient making her slip into comma. He appeals to government to consider paying the medical staff adding that they deserve a pay after a month’s work.
Dr. Olinga Phillip, the District Health Officer could neither deny nor confirm the death of patients in Kaicheri. He however admitted the strike having paralyzed health service delivery in the district. He adds that government should find means of paying them their emoluments.
//Cue in: “The patients…
Cue out: ...be fixed.”//
//Cue in: “The health workers…
Cue out: …services.”//
Peter Logiro, the Resident District Commissioner, asks the medics to be calm as the matter is being handled by government. He encourages them to not to abandon patients but calm down and report for duty. He however, added that he would not guarantee when the salaries would available. Ends
Reports from Kaicheri Health Centre 3 indicate death of seven people after they admitted themselves in the facility last week finding no medical help.
Also at Panyangara Health Centre 3 few patients were on Wednesday found basking in the morning sun as some children occasionally passed frequent watery stools.
A visit to Kotido Health Centre IV on Wednesday revealed that the usually congested facility was deserted. A few patients sat under one tree with little hope of seeing medical personnel. Another two female patients in their ward groaned on their sheet and blanket-less beds.
Longok Apo 48, a breast cancer patient and a resident of Panyangara in Kotido district, says her hope of getting better is lost after failing to find treatment. She adds that she travelled on foot over 30 kilometres with all the pain due to lack of money.
Franco Oketcho, a resident of Rengen Sub County says her relative was brought for treatment on Wednesday, only to meet striking medics. He explains that no treatment had been administered to his patient making her slip into comma. He appeals to government to consider paying the medical staff adding that they deserve a pay after a month’s work.
Dr. Olinga Phillip, the District Health Officer could neither deny nor confirm the death of patients in Kaicheri. He however admitted the strike having paralyzed health service delivery in the district. He adds that government should find means of paying them their emoluments.
//Cue in: “The patients…
Cue out: ...be fixed.”//
//Cue in: “The health workers…
Cue out: …services.”//
Peter Logiro, the Resident District Commissioner, asks the medics to be calm as the matter is being handled by government. He encourages them to not to abandon patients but calm down and report for duty. He however, added that he would not guarantee when the salaries would available. Ends
