More than 1,000 residents turned up for a free medical outreach camp held in Sitatunga Ward this week, as the ongoing nurses’ strike continues to cripple public health services across Trans Nzoia County.
The medical camp, organized by the area Member of County Assembly (MCA) Simon Murei, saw a large number of patients—many of them elderly and from poor backgrounds—seeking treatment after weeks of going without care due to the strike by public health nurses.
Speaking during the event, Mr. Amos Wesonga from Lifecare Hospitals, who led the team of medics, said most patients were suffering from non-communicable lifestyle diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, conditions that require regular medication and monitoring.
“Most of them are suffering from lifestyle diseases and have been quietly suffering since they can't afford medication from private hospitals,” said Mr. Wesonga.
According to the medics, many of these patients have missed out on routine treatment since the nurses' industrial action began, highlighting the fragility of the public healthcare system, particularly for those in rural areas.
The camp also served as an opportunity to collect data that could inform future health interventions.
“We help the county to fetch the data so that it can help them know how to assist the cases. We challenge the residents to embrace check-ups and preventive care before conditions worsen,” added Mr. Wesonga.
Residents shared heart-wrenching accounts of how the strike has forced them into a painful limbo, unable to afford private care and with no access to the public health system.
“We are really suffering since health services in the public facilities have been crippled by the strike,” said Ms. Everyline Lumbasi, a widow from Chepkoyo village.
Mr. Murei condemned the ongoing stalemate between the county government and the nurses’ union, saying the impasse is inflicting unnecessary suffering on the most vulnerable members of society.
“The failure by both the county government and the nurses union to reach a resolution has greatly affected residents from poor backgrounds who depend entirely on public health services,” he said.
He further noted that the situation is compounded by the fact that many residents have not enrolled in the government’s social health insurance scheme, making access to private healthcare nearly impossible.
“The other challenge is that most of these patients have not enlisted for social health insurance services, hence they can't access private medication,” he added.
Mr. Murei called on both parties to urgently resume talks and find a middle ground, warning that continued delays would only deepen the crisis.
“We urge both the county administration and the health workers’ union to prioritize the needs of the people and come to an amicable solution in the interest of the needy.”
The nurses’ strike, now in its fifth week, has shut down operations in most public hospitals and dispensaries in the region, putting thousands of patients at risk.