The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers is mourning the death of another medic who succumbed to Covid-19 on Wednesday.
Thirty-two-year old Victor Kipngetich is among the nine clinical officers who have lost their lives while in the line of duty due to the biting effects of Covid-19 among healthcare workers.
The father of two passed away at St Luke’s Hospital in Eldoret Town after two weeks in the Intensive Care Unit, Kuco said.
During his admission at the facility, he accumulated a medical bill of about Sh2 million.
Making the announcement on Wednesday, Kuco CEO George Gibore said the medical bill is yet to be cleared and the burden has been left to the family.
Up until his demise, he was working at Kapkangari Health Centre in Nandi County.
“His demise sends a worrying signal to the serving colleagues who are currently working in hazardous environments at these critical times and with very minimal desired support and protection such as lack of Comprehensive Medical Insurance Cover, adequate quality Personal Protective Equipment among others,” Gibore said.
“Even as we send our deepest condolences to the family, as a union, we are still appealing to the Government to implement the already existing policies/containment measures for healthcare workers to ensure that no more avoidable deaths among Clinical Officers and other frontline Healthcare Workers occur.”
He further urged the government to put in place structures and policies to compensate the families of Healthcare Workers who get infected and those who lose their lives due to the virus.
Meanwhile, doctors have maintained that they will proceed with a planned strike to ensure the plight of medics and other healthcare workers are resolved.
This is after the doctors under the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union failed to reach a consensus with the government over their issues.
The doctors want the government to provide standard and adequate Personal Protective Equipment to all Healthcare workers in all health facilities include private.
“It is our lives first. It will not be business as usual. Doctors’ lives matter.”
The medical doctors who have lost their lives include Dr. Doreen Lugaliki, an obstetrician-gynecologist who was the first doctor to succumb to the virus, Dr. Ndambuki Mboloi, a pulmonologist, Dr. Daniel Alushula, an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Vladimir Schuckin, a bariatric surgeon, Dr. Hudson Inyangala, a Public Health Specialist and Dr. Emarah Ashraf, a plastic surgeon.
Others include Dr. Robert Ayisi, a pediatrician, Dr. Hudson Alumera, a periodontal surgeon, Dr. Faith Mbuba, a pharmacist, and Dr. Jackline Njoroge, a Physician.