The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacist and Dentists Union (Kmpdu) has raised concerns over reports on doctors and other health workers being mistreated by police officers during the government’s dusk to dawn curfew.
According to Kmpdu, doctors are also being restricted from effectively performing their duties during the 7pm-5am period of the curfew, despite the health professionals presenting proper identification to the police.
The union is demanding that police respect health workers since the curfew is not meant to restrict medics from doing their job to save lives as the number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus continues to rise.
“The curfew was not meant to restrict doctors from performing their duties. Several reports of doctors & health workers being mistreated by police despite proper identification. The Police MUST respect health workers,” tweeted KMPDU.
President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered that starting from March 27 no Kenyan will be allowed out from 7pm to 5am apart from those offering essential services, which included health professionals.
The directive was part of the government’s enhanced response to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the country that has seen 38 positive cases confirmed with a single case of full recovery.
Among those listed by the state as exempted from the curfew is medical professionals and health workers; national security, administration and coordination officers; public health and sanitation officers in the county governments as well as licensed pharmacies and drug stores.
Others are licensed broadcasters and media houses; Kenya Power and Lightening Company Limited; food dealers, distributors, wholesalers and transporters of farm produce; licensed supermarkets, mini-markets and hypermarkets.
Also in the list are licensed distributors and retailers of petroleum and oil products and lubricants; licensed telecommunication operators and service providers; licensed banks, financial institutions and payment financial services, fire brigade and other emergency response services and licensed security firms.
The curfew was not meant to restrict doctors from performing their duties. Several reports of doctors & health workers being mistreated by police despite proper identification.The Police MUST respect health workers.
@NPSOfficial_KE @InteriorKE @StateHouseKenya— KMPDU (@kmpdu) March 28, 2020
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