Kin have begun removing their sick relatives from public hospitals in Kisumu county owing to lack of medical attention, given that medics in the county are on strike.
The strike which began last week entered day six on Friday, with the striking doctors demanding study leaves, promotions and National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) cover.
Some of the patients' relatives are now opting for hospitals in neighbouring counties, a number of whom were on Friday taking their patients to alternative medical facilities.
Mary Akoth, whose husband was expected to undergo a surgery at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, is among the residents feeling the pinch of the strike.
“We are wondering what is happening to our county as far as health matters are concerned, just barely two months that there was a total shutdown of public hospitals because of health workers strike, then this,” she told the Star.
Mark Owiti said that the presence of nurses alone in the hospital makes things hard for patients, given that there are things they cannot handle without directions from doctors.
"There is no need of me having my mother at this facility, yet there is no doctor that will treat her, some things the nurses cannot handle without direction from the doctors," he said.
The residents now want to know the plans put in place to revive operations in hospitals, though some claimed the county leadership appears indifferent about their troubles.
Clinical officers in the same county are county are currently on their third week on strike.