A clinical officer who raised the red flag after four members of staff at Uasin Gishu district hospital who had tested positive for Covid-19 continued to attend to patients has been suspended.
Mr. Isaac Tallam, a clinical officer at the hospital and also the Uasin Gishu County Clinical Officers Association chapter chairman said the county administration issued him with the suspension letter as he reported to work, accusing him of painting the regional government in bad light.
During a press briefing on Monday Tallam revealed that four nurses who had already tested positive for Covid-19 were still walking freely and attending to patients at the facility causing panic and anxiety among other staff members at the facility.
The unionist took issue with the county government through the department of Health for dragging its feet in acting to isolate the affected staff to limit chances of spreading the disease to colleagues and patients.
“Failure by the department of health to move with speed to isolate our affected colleagues amounted to exposing the rest of us to the pandemic,” he stressed.
He condemned the suspension saying he did not commit any crime and vowed to continue fighting for the rights of his members who continue to selflessly serve the resident of Uasin Gishu even during these dangerous moments of Coronavirus despite threats and intimidation from the administration.
Medics are at a higher risk of Covid-19 infection due to their close contact with patients some of whom may be carrying the virus. “How can I be suspended when all I did was to raise issues affecting my members who are at risk of contracting the coronavirus for lack of personal protective equipment?” he wondered.
Following the reports, the affected nurses were quarantined at a government facility in Eldoret town and the County government carried out mass testing of all staff at the hospital.
The county government also swiftly dispatched PPEs to staff at the hospital.
By Kiptanui Cherono
