6 patients die in Kenya due to nationwide nurse strike

By Andrew Wasike and Magdalene Mukami

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) – As the nurses’ strike in the East African nation of Kenya entered day two on Tuesday, six patients were confirmed dead due to labor action at the Coast General Hospital in the coastal city of Mombasa.

Confirming the deaths to local media, Mombasa Health Chief Officer Khadija Shikely said that three of the casualties were in the hospital’s emergency unit while the others were in the wards.

A nurse on strike from the hospital, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution, told Anadolu Agency, "Being the biggest hospital there are so many patients coming in ... now they are being turned back, the deaths are very unfortunate."

Public hospitals across the country have been forced to refer patients to expensive private hospitals, spreading fears of a rising death toll as many Kenyans seeking treatment cannot afford the private option.

The strike began with protests on Monday which saw over 45,000 unionized nurses demanding better pay, better healthcare equipment in hospitals, and more nurses hired under a deal between the union and the government that was to be signed last December.

The Council of Governors, meeting on Monday to find a way to end the strike, blamed the state-owned Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) for the delay in signing the deal.

The commission on Tuesday said it was working with the council to ensure that all terms of the deal follow guidelines before it is signed.

Earlier this year dozens of Kenyans died and others suffered for at least 100 days due to a doctors’ strike that threw the country’s healthcare system into crisis.