Kakamega County Referral Hospital doctors have threatened to down their tools in a week’s time.

This, is if the County Governor Wycliffe Oparanya will not protect them from harassment and threats by top health officials.

The medics also cite unavailability of personal protective equipment (PPEs).

Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union Western branch secretary Sande Charo accused Health executive Rachael Okumu and chief officer Beatrice Etemesi of harassment and intimidation.

In a memo addressed to the governor and signed by the doctors, they said the referral and sub-county hospitals are ill-equipped to handle Covid-19 cases. They said their efforts to raise the matter with the two health officials has been met with intimidation, demotions and transfers from the top county hospital.

The memo also details inadequacy of PPE.

Last week, Oparanya said Sh85 million would be spent on protective gear in the fight against Covid-19.

Also last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta allowed governors to purchase the kits outside the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency.

“We beseech your office to intervene in this horrid environment which is aimed at derailing the fight against Covid-19 and plunging the county and country into misery.

“If action is not taken, then we will have no option but to withdraw our labour until when these grievances are addressed without further notice,” the memo reads. 

The doctors said the working environment for those handling Covid-19 cases is deplorable.

“These officers are working 24 hours without the simplest things like breakfast and lunch. They are not protected at all in addition to the long working hours,” a union member said.  

Dr Charo said the link between the health officials and medics in the fight against Covid-19 was weak and that healthcare workers are at the risk of contracting the virus if they handle active cases. 

“It has come to our realisation that amidst the devotion and selflessness of our doctors in the fight against Covid-19, there lies an ugly hand of intimidation, threats and highhandedness by the two officials,” the letter reads.

Etemesi and Okumu declined to comment. However, Etemesi acknowledged the matters raised.  

KMPDU Western Branch chairman Antony Akoto said the county has also not trained healthcare workers on how to handle the virus. Those who have been trained are not even a third of the total number of medics, he said.