Kakamega Health executive Dr Bernard Wesonga has stepped in to serve patients at the Kakamega County General Hospital as doctors’ strike continues bite to  in the country.

Wesonga alongside locum health practitioners has been attending to patients at the hospital and other facilities since the strike started.

He said that he ready to serve beyond his current position since he required to save lives as per his training. This was demonstrated when he helped doctors and nurses perform a Caesarean Section at the hospital after the emergency occurred while he conducting his routine checks.

“I was excited to not only put on a lab coat, stethoscope and a surgical cap, but to also save lives. I attended to the woman as lead doctor and together with our medics, we successfully operated on her and saved her life and that of her baby,” Wesonga said.

“My current position as the Health executive does not mean that I cannot treat people. I have treated people at the maternity wing more than four times and I have gone to theatre once.” Wesonga added.

Kakamega government has since hired locum doctors and nurses to mitigate the effects of the strike.

“Through consultation and support from the governor, we have engaged doctors on temporary basis to work with our nurses to ensure continuous service delivery,”

“We are providing services in critical sections like ICU, renal unit, theatres and the maternity wing. We however still experience problems in clinics, where consultants are required. But we are planning to employ more doctors to avert the current situation in future.” Wesonga said.

This even as the status of negotiations on the doctors’ strike to be mentioned before Judge Byrum Ongaya  today Wednesday 17th April 2024 at the Milimani Labour Court.

The Employment and Labour Relations Judge will also be notified on whether the state and doctors have reached a settlement after he ordered doctors to suspend  the strike on April 3 and allow negotiations with the state to reach an agreement on the way forward.