KNH chief denies claims nurses lack protective gear
Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) Chief Executive Officer Dr Evanson Kamuri has dismissed claims by a section of nurses that the hospital management had refused to provide them with sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) saying the allegations border on selfishness.
Speaking to People Daily on phone yesterday, Kamuri asked the nurses and other healthcare workers at the facility to follow the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on the use of the PPE instead of advancing unnecessary complaints.
On Saturday, the nurses who were using an exclusive WhatsApp group chat complained that some of them had been forced to handle Covid-19 suspected cases without proper protection, and even expressed fear of infection.
“No PPEs, no work,” read a message in a string of chats seen by People Daily as the nurses threatened to down tools until the hospital management responds.
But reacting to the claims by the nurses, Kamuri said those who were complaining were not honest as each healthcare worker at the facility has access to the guidelines on the use of PPEs.
“How could we be running this Corona pandemic for the last 30 days without PPEs? Kenyatta is at the centre stage of this programme, how possible is it that we have been running it without PPEs?” he posed, saying for the fight against Covid to be won, everyone would be required to participate objectively.
He said currently, the supply of PPEs across the world is limited and the hospital had chosen to follow the WHO guidelines to utilise the little that are available. “All of us cannot use PPEs.
There are people who will need full gown (Coveralls); others, N95 and others mere face masks and gloves- all these are PPEs.
It is strange that those who are complaining that they don’t have PPEs, are the ones the hospital has made arrangements to even go home with equipment; masks, gloves etc in case they are called in for an emergency they have standby PPEs,” he added.
