Traders near hospitals suffer business loss

As the doctors’ strike continues to cause despair and pain in public hospitals, traders operating near the affected facilities are up in arms over loss of business.

At Igegania Level Four Hospital in Gatundu North, Kiambu County, retail shops, food kiosks and chemists operating outside the facility are at the verge of closing down following significant reduction of patients whom they rely on to survive.

The businesspersons led by Pauline Nyakio who operates a chemist near the public health facility noted with concern that the sluggish flow of patients has negatively affected their operations.
Elsewhere, the government has been told to embrace dialogue with striking doctors to end the prevailing health crisis in public hospitals.

Hard-line stance

Gatanga MP Edward Muriu and former area legislator Peter Kenneth said both parties should drop their hard-line stance and resolve the impasse through negotiations.

Muriu said the matter requires tolerance, patience and understanding and added that the government and doctors must resolve it amicably to spare Kenyans the suffering they are going through.
He scoffed at threats by some governors to fire the striking medics, saying this could be futile and even more detrimental to the country’s healthcare.

“The threat to sack doctors is a wrong approach and amounts to high-handedness. Even if you sack the doctors where will you get others to replace them,” posed Muriu.

Kenneth said majority of Kenyans are dying at home as a result of the medical crisis as they cannot afford treatment at private hospitals.