On August 08, 2017, Anyang’ Nyong’o was elected as the second Kisumu Governor after defeating his predecessor Jack Ranguma. Three years down the line, he seems to have failed the people of Kisumu big time due to his perceived inability to consistently have medical officers at their places of work for proper preventative and curative health care provision in the Lakeside County.
For the last three years, the residents have been struggling in seeking medication in public hospitals due to endless strikes by medics. If not clinical officers, it’s nurses; if not nurses it is doctors on strike.
As at now, doctors in Kisumu are on strike since Friday last week, for the third time this year demanding that the County government of Kisumu meets basic articles of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed in 2017.
Health is a devolved function, which means the buck stops with the governor in terms of facilitating the implementation of the CBA. Among the basic articles in the CBA is promoting doctors and the provision of humanly workable conditions for Kisumu doctors.
Article 43 (1) (a) of the Constitution provides that every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, including reproductive health care. This means that relentless strikes in Kisumu deprive residents of this right.
As a former Minister of Medical Services, the Governor must be aware that a good chunk of Kisumu residents – whether they voted for him or not- have a right to health care services in public health facilities.
Many thought that the sacking of former Kisumu County Health Minister Dr Rosemary Obara in May 2019 would come with reprieve. Dr Obara was replaced by Professor Judith Miguda-Attyang, but the strikes continue.
The Governor goes by the slogan Tich Tire (Work is being done). Clearly, there’s more work to be done in the health docket.
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