At the Nakuru Referral Hospital, patients seeking emergency services on Sunday were all by themselves amid the disruption in the provision of healthcare services occasioned by the doctors’ strike.

Usually, patients would be received at the accident and emergency unit by medics.

The doctors' strike which is on its 11th day Sunday has also affected the family of Hellen Kariuki. Their 70-year-old dad who is hypertensive and diabetic was seeking services at the hospital from Thursday.

“Hajahudumiwa wakati huu wote…...Kwa ward tunaambiwa amix madawa Na chakula ndio akule …otherwise tulipata dawa tu hapo,” said Ms Kariuki.

After three days in the wards, with no doctors on site and with his health deteriorating, the family made a decision to transfer their patient to a private hospital in Nyahururu.

“Tuliona hata unaweza lose patient... ni uchungu sana kwa kuona mahali unategemea huwezi pata huduma,” she added.

More families continue to seek alternative options for their patients who are admitted to the Nakuru Referral Hospital.

John Mutai whose 2 close relatives are admitted here after they were involved in an accident on Saturday, says the patients are in agony.

“Kuna wagonjwa wawili ambao wako wadi Na hawajapata huduma huko… mmoja amevunjika mkono alikuwa anafaa kuwekwa chuma hadi saa hii bado,” said Mutai.

As the situation in hospitals countrywide worsens, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union says doctors will not return to work until the government meets their end of the deal.

Doctors will take to the streets between Tuesday to Thursday this week.

“This week we will have demos in Nakuru, Embu, Kakamega, Migori and Nairobi without having the issues solved no amount of propaganda or political rhetorics will stop this,” said Davji Atellah, the Secretary General of KMPDU.

Council of Governor’s Chairperson of the Health Committee Muthomi Njuki called on doctors to soften their stance and return to work, Governor Muthomi says the effects of the strike on patients are devastating.

His Nairobi Counterpart Johnson Sakaja told over 160 doctors in Nairobi to return to work or face the sack.

The first attempt by KMPDU to hold talks with the government failed last week, doctors say they will remain relentless in their quest to ensure the government meets its demands.

In the meantime, innocent patients continue to bear the brunt of the ongoing strike with no end in sight.