The Kenyan Physician Strike
Currently, Kenyan doctors are in the streets striking for better working conditions and pay. Doctors have now been on strike for over five weeks, and negotiations between the physicians and the government have not been optimistic so far. What’s going on with the Kenyan physician strike, and why does it make supporting the Sollay Kenyan Foundation even more important?
The Kenyan Physician Strike
The Kenyan physician strike first began on March 12th, and over 4,000 physicians went on strike as part of their collective bargaining agreement that was passed in 2017. The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union is leading the strike, and a key piece of negotiations is a salary increase. President William Ruto responded with a rejection of the demands, saying that the government simply did not have enough money to pay them.
As early as the first week, disruptions began across the healthcare system. Because so many medical professionals were striking, thousands of patients are being left without medical care. Even patients with serious injuries, like broken legs and surgeries, are being turned away at many hospitals. Since private medical care is often prohibitively expensive, many patients are extremely ill at home.
In the third week of the strike, there was the first official casualty that made its way to the media—Maxwell Maronda. Stuck going from hospital to hospital with a toothache that turned into an aplastic anemia diagnosis, no hospital accepted him and admitted him. Eventually, Maxwell was admitted to Kijabe Mission Hospital and passed away due to a blood infection. If he was able to access proper care throughout his illness, there is a good chance that he would still be alive today.
We’re Providing Critical Support
The Sollay Kenyan Foundation is 100% dedicated to providing every Kenyan with healthcare and medical support in this challenging time. The Katani Hospital remains open, and we are able to provide care for all Kenyans who travel to visit. We also rely on your donations now more than ever before. The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) has gone bankrupt and closed. There is currently no public healthcare insurance. The lack of insurance compounds the problem because hospitals like Katani Hospital are not being paid. Katani Hospital requires emergency assistance with food and medicine. Also, government officials are targeting private hospitals by turning off power and inflating power bills that hospitals cannot pay. Due to the government funding problems and the Kenyan physician strike, we have been seeing many patients in desperate need of medical care.
Every day, hospitals like Katani Hospital are being forced to close. Only through your assistance can Katani Hospital and the work of Sollay Kenyan Foundation continue to save lives and restore health. We rely on your funding to help lend a compassionate hand to the infants, children, teens, young adults, adults, and elderly citizens who walk through the hospital doors. We implore you to send a donation today to help provide vital care to Kenyans who are in immediate danger during the Kenyan physician strike. To make a donation and learn more, click here.
We’re Dedicated to Helping Create a Healthier Kenya
At the Sollay Kenyan Foundation, we believe that every Kenyan’s life matters. Your life matters, and you matter! Today, you have the chance to make a difference to save lives in Kenya. If every Kenyan living in America donated just $1 to the Sollay Kenyan Foundation, we would be able to save thousands of lives. We appreciate every dollar that we receive, and we thank you in advance for your generosity. To make a donation and learn more, click here.
