The Chief Executive Officer of Kenyatta National Hospital, Dr. Richard Lesiyampe, has appealed to the Nairobi City County Government, health workers and their unions to urgently resolve the ongoing strike that has disrupted healthcare services across the capital.
Speaking amid growing pressure at the national referral facility, Dr. Lesiyampe said the industrial action, which began on December 8, has forced patients who would normally receive treatment at lower-level facilities to seek care at KNH.
“I want to request the county government of Nairobi, particularly the health department, that since December 8 there has been what we call an industrial action that has actually stressed us as Kenyatta National Hospital,” he said.
According to the CEO, maternity services at the hospital have been severely affected as the facility continues to receive far more expectant mothers than it was designed to handle.
“We are receiving not less than 100 mothers to deliver at Kenyatta National Hospital, while our capacity has always been 40,” Dr. Lesiyampe revealed.
The influx of patients has stretched resources at the hospital, including incubators and other critical medical supplies needed to support newborns, especially premature babies and infants requiring specialised care.
“We are delivering babies and children and some of the babies require incubators, others require medical commodities to support them particularly those who are admitted with us,” he said.
Dr. Lesiyampe warned that the closure of primary healthcare facilities has also forced trauma cases and other patients who would ordinarily be treated at lower-level hospitals to be referred directly to KNH, further straining services.
He also expressed concern that some patients are arriving at the hospital when it is already too late for effective intervention.
“Some others come when it is almost too late to either help the mother or even help the child, because sometimes there is hope that they can get support from the lower levels,” he said.
The KNH boss cautioned that the continued stalemate could have serious consequences, including rising maternal mortality and complications among patients.
“I want to call upon all the individuals involved in this matter today please have a discussion, have a solution so that our patients in Nairobi and in Kenya do not continue to suffer,” he urged.
Dr. Lesiyampe emphasised that delays in resolving the dispute directly affect patient outcomes.
“Your failure to engage and discuss and resolve this matter as fast as possible has huge consequences upon our patients. It has got direct correlation in terms of maternal mortality and sometimes causing complications to some of our patients that it becomes very difficult to reverse,” he said.
He concluded with a passionate appeal for the strike to end immediately to ease pressure on the national referral hospital and safeguard patients who depend on the public healthcare system.
“It’s my passionate appeal that this industrial action has to come to an end,” Dr. Lesiyampe said.
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