Picture this: It is December 7, 2011. Hon. (Prof.) P. Anyang’ Nyongo, EGH, MP and Hon. Beth Mugo, EGH, MP are out of the country to seek medical attention. They are serving as Minister for Health Services and Minister for Public Health & Sanitation respectively. Both are out of country – I guess to seek specialized treatment or was it just “run away” from the heat that is the health workers strike.

Exactly 5 years later, we are back at it again. Today it is day 3 into a nationwide strike that has hit all public health facilities. The KMPDU officials say, nothing other than a deal will get them back to work.

I have made a hypothesis before that the only way to get attention in this RICH country, seems to be to go to the streets. Even professionals are left with little option but take to the streets.

The “ailing” Kenya Airways has been in the news week in, week out, all for the wrong reasons. And it seems strikes at KQ have been devolved to departments. It was first the unionisable staff who got their deal through a collective bargaining agreement, then the pilots and just this week, the technical team. Which department will be on strike next week?

I guess, at the very worst case scenario (and the odds that this can happen are close to nill), if Hon. Cleopa Kilonzo Mailu, Cabinet Secretary for Health, were to fall sick, he has reprieve of going back to former employer (Nairobi Hospital) and “beg” for some healthcare just incase KQ will be on strike (and all other carries have gone on strike too) to airlift him to a fine medical facility in SA, India or … name a medical destination of your choice – of course other than Mulago Hospital in the republic of Uganda.

The very disturbing thought is that even those patients in critical care (ICU, HDU) have been left at the mercy of their own care givers other than hospital staff. Yet I know there could be some medical staff serving in the public sector who would want to exercise humanity but “corporate responsibility” calls for an otherwise approach lest they are branded traitors.

Where does the back stop in such a sick state? How do we move towards building a progressive, responsive and sustainable health care system for accelerated attainment of the highest standard of health to all Kenyans?

The death toll will continue to rise as doctors’ strike continues. I can estimate, even though unconfirmed, that more than 30 have so far succumbed as result of this standoff. Is this now a matter of national security worse than an Al-Shabab attack that claims 20?

I trust that UhuRuto are seeing the cry of the masses and that they will do something.