KMPDU raises alarm after mob storms Naivasha hospital, steals body

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has condemned what it describes as a serious security breach at Naivasha County Referral Hospital after an agitated crowd reportedly stormed the facility and forcefully took away a deceased patient’s body from the hospital morgue amid the fuel price hike protests.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday, KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah said the Monday incident endangered the lives of doctors and healthcare workers on duty while disrupting critical medical services at the facility.

The union termed the incident “an alarming security breach,” warning that violence directed at hospitals threatens the delivery of healthcare services, especially during periods of unrest when medical facilities are expected to serve as safe spaces for emergency treatment.

“Yesterday, a rowdy and agitated crowd forcefully stormed the facility, disrupted medical operations, and took away a deceased patient’s body from hospital custody,” stated Dr. Atellah.

“This act of violence severely endangered the lives of doctors and all the healthcare providers on duty, creating a hostile environment in what should be a sanctuary of healing.”

The KMPDU boss further expressed concern over what it described as increasing hostility towards healthcare workers, saying hospitals should never become targets of violence regardless of the prevailing tensions in society.

“It is uncalled for that healthcare facilities — the very places the public runs to for emergency medical care during civil unrest — should be targeted with violence,” Dr. Atellah noted.

“When chaos erupts, our dedicated medical personnel stand on the frontline to preserve human life.”

The union chief warned that exposing healthcare workers to unsafe working conditions directly threatens the continuity of medical care and emergency response services.

In one of the strongest sections of the statement, Dr. Atellah questioned how medical personnel are expected to continue saving lives while operating under constant fear.

“We ask a fundamental question: How are we meant to save lives when our own survival is constantly under threat within the workplace?” he posed.

The doctors’ union boss also raised alarm over reports that emergency vehicles had been obstructed during the unrest, terming interference with ambulances a direct threat to human life.

“An ambulance in transit carries a life-or-death situation; interfering with it is a direct attack on human life,” he said, while urging members of the public to allow unrestricted movement for ambulances and emergency medical teams.

The union has now called on both the national government and county governments to urgently enhance security at Naivasha County Referral Hospital and other health facilities across the country.

According to KMPDU, the government must guarantee doctors and healthcare workers a peaceful and secure working environment to enable them to discharge their duties effectively.