(KDRTV) – Kenyan police officers have been accused of spraying Health workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic with acid.
According to Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU) Acting Secretary-General Chibanzi Mwachonda, the bizarre incident happened at the Bluepost Roadblock along the Thika Superhighway when the medics were heading to work.
We have witnessed a very unique and embarrassing situation coming from our police in enforcing the orders of containment and curfew. The police have continued to brutalise healthcare workers who have valid documents from regulatory bodies,” the KMPDU CEO said.
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“As we speak, there are healthcare workers who have been teargassed and sprayed with acid this morning at the Bluepost Roadblock as they were heading to their work stations,” he added.
Cases of police officers harassing medics during curfew hours have been on the rise. Health workers are part of crucial service providers who are excluded from the curfew rules.
Mwachonda has called on the Interior Ministry to protect health workers.
“This is the time to embrace collaborative efforts, this is not the time to fight healthcare workers… at this time we realize that healthcare is important to this country and that the health workforce is a scarce national resource in this country…” – Dkt. Mwachonda Chibanzi pic.twitter.com/mgDbW7rwbE
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) April 27, 2020
“This is the time to embrace collaborative efforts, this is not the time to fight healthcare workers… at this time we realize that healthcare is important to this country and that the health workforce is a scarce national resource in this country,” Dr Mwachonda said at a press conference on Monday.