Dr. Stephen Mogusu, who had not received his salary for five months and had no health insurance, has succumbed to COVID-19 complications.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union announced the death of the 28-year-old doctor on Monday.
“At the time of his death he had not received his salary for 5 months,had no insurance & his young family left with no compensation.Too steep a price for Patriotism,” KMPDU said.
Earlier, Dr. Chibanzi Mwachonda, the union’s Ag. Secretary General/CEO had led an online funds drive for the medic’s family.
Dr. Mogusu had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital.
“The family of Dr. Stephen Mogusu a frontline soldier who is battling for his life in ICU due to COVID-19 Complications is appealing to Kenyans of good will to contribute for his urgent medical expenses. The sad reality of our doctors,” he said on Twitter.https://a265a82ca790077bda8604bdcc6fb3aa.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
Dr. Mogusu’s death comes a day after the KMPDU’s National Advisory Council resolved to suspend the planned doctors strike for 14 days.
Doctors are intending to down their tools over the government’s failure to addresses their concerns about safety, health insurance, and staffing needs to fight COVID-19.
Doctors also complain about not receiving adequate personal protective gear. The union says all their requests are met with silence.
As of November 4, Kenya had lost 32 medical workers to COVID-19, with 10 of them succumbing to the disease within two weeks.
Medics who died from coronavirus in November include Dr. Hudson Alumera (periodontal surgeon); Prof. A J O Were (nephrologist) and Dr. Nira Patel (dental surgeon).
