Two more medical workers have died of Covid-19, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board chairperson Samuel Oroko has said.
This brings to three, the number of health workers who have succumbed to the virus.
The first was gynecologist Dr Adisa Lugalika who died on Thursday of Covid-19.
Oroko urged the government to come clear on the issue of settlement of bills by healthcare workers who get admitted due to Covid-19.
“It is unfortunate we have lost our own,” he said.
Oroko on Saturday said health care workers should not have to pay the bills.
“We emphasize that the compensation package for health workers must be implemented. It is not a request. It is a demand that health care workers are protected or they will choose other options including staying in their own houses,” he said.
He was referring to Dr Adisa Lugalika who died on Friday of Covid-19.
The union urged the public to continue adhering to the containment measures in place and realize that covid is real.
It also called for prioritising of PPE distribution.
“The government has a responsibility to ensure safety of front line health workers is addressed comprehensively,” KMPDU acting secretary general Chibanzi Mwachonda said.
“To Kenyans, the disease is real. You have a responsibility to protect not just yourselves but we the health care workers. There is no amount of money that will compensate a family for the loss of their loved one. It is our civic duty to protect protect Kenyans, and these Kenyans are our relatives.”
“The death of one of our own injures our morale.”
Mwachonda said the union presented a proposal to the Senate ad hoc committee to have a dedicated isolation facility for front line health workers at KU Teaching and Referral Hospital and in the counties but that is yet to be done.
“We have been soldering on hoping as we go on we will have a dedicated facility. The government should consider waiving the cost of testing kits to ensure the cost of testing to Kenyans is affordable,” he said.
Mwachonda said Dr Adisa contracted the virus from a colleague who had contracted the virus from a patient.
“For those governors who are setting up ICU beds in their own houses, they should know that the beds will not treat them. They should think about poor Kenyans who voted for them but can’t afford the same luxury,” he said.
