Nurses' strike leaves Kericho patients stranded as hospitals struggle. [Courtesy, Meta]
Patients in Kericho County are struggling to access medical care as the ongoing nurses’ strike continues to disrupt services in public hospitals and health centres.
At Cheborgei Health Centre, Richard Koskei was among patients left stranded after arriving at the facility seeking treatment. He said the situation had been made worse by a lack of medicines.
“Even if the medics were present, we are told that there is no medicine at the facility. We don't know why that is the case,” Koskei said.
He urged the government to consider taking back the health function from counties if they were unable to provide adequate services and resources.
“If the counties have failed to manage the health sector and provide health services and resources, the function should be withdrawn from the county governments and reverted to the national government,” he said.
The strike has affected several public health facilities in the county, including Kericho County Referral Hospital and Kapkatet Sub-County Hospital, leaving many residents with limited options for treatment.
