Strike looming at KUCO as clinical officers infected by COVID-19 reach Six

Mbagathi hospital medics at work. PHOTO | NMG

The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers has threatened to go on strike if the national government does not warrant the safety of medical practitioners fighting Coronavirus after the number of medics infected with COVID-19 had extended to six.
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KUCO Secretary-General George Dibore while addressing the media on Friday, April 10, warned that the union will be forced to withdraw their services if not protected further informing that the six were under treatment.

“We have received confirmation on the cases of a clinical officer working for the Ministry of Health in Nairobi, a clinical officer in Ngara Clinic in Nairobi, a clinician stationed at the Kenya Ports Authority in Mombasa, two in Mombasa County’s public health facilities and one in Baringo County,” Gibore stated.

Nairobi County Health CEC Hitan Majevdia said that one of the medics had recovered and was discharged.

"Our medical staff, a clinician from Ngara and her husband were discharged from Mbagathi isolation centre today. The children tested COVID-19 negative," Majevdia stated.

“We shall withdraw our services from the counties which will not provide PPEs,” Dibore warned.

The research by KUCO sampled 790 workers cutting across 46 counties, revealing that 68 per cent of medics lacked proper training on the use of PPEs and three out of every ten health workers had not been provided with protective gear.

“We demand that the government and all employers provide their healthcare workers with aprons, overalls, boots, respirators and face shields as part of their PPEs," Dibore stated.

The Union demanded quick action or else they down their tools. The leaders cited that they cannot watch their fellow being infected by the naval virus.