Simon Siele
4 July 2008
Nairobi — A major crisis looms at Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital, one of the country's largest hospitals, following a go-slow by doctors and nurses.
Some of the women who had been admitted to Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital feed their babies outside the wards after doctors went on a go- slow protesting against the water shortage at the institution. Photo/ JOSEPH KIHERI
Among their complaints are poor working conditions and persistent water shortages that have been not addressed by the authorities.
The strike at public institutions in Nakuru, which entered its second day Thursday, comes in the wake of a cholera outbreak that has since claimed four lives and left at least 50 others admitted to various hospitals.
No new case
The Ministry of Health, through the department of disease surveillance, announced that the cholera outbreak was under control and that no new cases had been reported since Wednesday.
The 25 patients still admitted to Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital were due to be discharged after their conditions improved but the fate of those being treated at Rhein Valley Hospital in Gilgil was not ascertained.
However, according to sources, a medical camp to cater for patients drawn from Mbaruk area where it is suspected that the locals fell sick after taking contaminated water from River Mbaruk were said to be fairing well. The outbreak came barely a few days after water to the institution that handles more than 1,200 patients daily was disconnected over a Sh97 million debt that has accumulated since 2004.
There are about 100 doctors and 800 nurses at the hospital situated in the provincial headquarters.
Following the water disconnection, three permanent secretaries accompanied by other key stakeholders visited the hospital on Wednesday to discuss the crisis at the institution.
PSs Hezron Nyangito (Medical Services), James Nyikal (Public Health) and David Stower (Water and Irrigation) later came out of a meeting and told the Press that the water would be reconnected immediately.
But, even as news of restoration of the water supply was announced, the patients and staff were yet to see the commodity in the hospital's taps.
A spot check by the Nation Thursday showed that the taps were still dry and the doctors particularly surgeons and medical consultants decided to stay away from their work stations until the water was reconnected.
They staged a sit-in outside the office of medical superintendent, Dr George Mugenya, before they were addressed by the Rift Valley provincial medical officer, Dr John Odondi.
"We have not met the doctors because its difficult to understand why they went on strike yet their grievances had been forwarded to Medical Services PS who promised to intervene on issues raised," said Dr Odondi.
Medical personnel said the water problem was a major concern to their smooth working conditions especially since hospitals were supposed to have a constant flow of the commodity.
Surgeons have had a difficult time operating on patients with limited water at the theatre and Intensive Care Unit and for the last two weeks they have only handled emergency cases while 'ignoring' the 'not so serious cases'.
A nurse who spoke in condition of anonymity said at times they were forced to use the treated water meant for patients put on drips due to the inconsistent water supply which is normally acquired from private water vendors.
Dr Mugenya confirmed to the Nation that their monthly bill for water was Sh2 million and proposed to review their consumption to cut on the huge cost by introducing new metering systems.
Serve efficiently
These would ensure that the water meter to the hospital did not serve that of the staff quarters so that it would be easy to monitor the consumption without inconveniencing the patients.
Other grievances raised by doctors include lack of basic equipment to enable them serve efficiently such as syringes and gloves. The hospital also lacks a stand-by generator to supplement the electricity which when disconnected inconveniences surgeons while operating patients.
Although the hospital has a bore hole, its water levels have declined and the little that is available was being rationed to various hospital departments.
When the staff abandoned their work and opted to hang around at the hospital corridors, medical students on internship started attending to the patients without supervision.
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