Doctors in most public hospitals in Kenya's capital went on strike on Friday of last week (21 August) to protest against delayed salaries and a lack of protective equipment when handling patients who may have COVID-19. The Times reports that a strike began at midnight on Friday, said Thuranira Kaugiria, secretary general for the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union.
He said 320 doctors employed by the Nairobi County government were taking part in the strike because they had inadequate health insurance, poor quality protective gear and too few isolation wards to treat COVID-19 patients.
The strike will not affect private hospitals and public hospitals within Nairobi run by the national government.
The report says in a separate incident, police used tear gas against dozens of protesters who had gathered at Freedom Corner in Uhuru Park to demonstrate against allegations of corruption in the procurement of protective gear. The head of the government-run Kenya Medical Supplies Authority has been suspended over allegations the agency procured low quality items and inflated prices of others.
[link url="https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2020-08-22-doctors-strike-in-nairobi-over-pay-lack-of-covid-protection/"]Full report in The Times[/link]