Ministry partners with faith-based health facilities to ease strike burden

The government has announced partnership with more than 2,000 faith-based health institutions to address the crisis caused by the doctors’ strike.

The strike, which entered its 37th day yesterday, has crippled services in public health facilities. Nurses and clinical officers signed a return-to-work formula.

Speaking in Nairobi yesterday, Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu (pictured) said the government is determined to see Kenyans continue getting medical services. He said he consulted religious leaders from the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, the Kenya Council of Catholic Bishops and resolved to dispatch drugs to faith-based health facilities.

Mailu urged counties to release nurses from public hospitals to the facilities to help in providing services. “Those in need of in-patient, operational and special cases are advised to visit faith-based health institutions and the cost will be met by the National Health Insurance Fund,” he said.

Mailu said the doctors’ union is engaging in illegal practices by crippling services in private and public hospitals, such as Kenyatta and the Moi Teaching and Referral. The CS said his ministry is working to ensure operations are restored.

“We have given the doctors an offer that would be adopted from July 1 this year to 2021, but they have refused. We hope the situation will improve and services restored in referral facilities,” Mailu said. Currently, 500 doctors are offering services in public hospitals. More than 2,000 doctors are on strike, affecting more than 6,000 health facilities.

Source:http://www.the-star.co.ke/

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