Doctor & Nurses Strike
This month we praise God for the end to the 100-day strike in Kenya that has had a severe impact on the country. More than 5,000 health care workers went on strike in December due to long-term, excessively poor working conditions. Union officials and the Kenyan government continue to work out the details; points of contention on the table are labor standards and compensation. Until now, public healthcare doctors that studied at the university level received a basic salary of $400-$850 per month and were required to be on call at all times without overtime compensation, per the Associated Press.
The aftermath continues to be dire, as the strike has affected all 47 counties in Kenya. Dozens of people have died from lack of medical care, and hospitals continue to be overwhelmed with the number of patients now waiting for treatment. Your prayers for timely resolve to the medical needs of Kenya are deeply appreciated.
Drought
Since the declaration of the drought emergency by the Kenyan government in February, there has been measurable rainfall in some parts of the country. Unfortunately, 23 of the 47 counties are still in critical need. Due to below average rainfall in 2016, food production was significantly lower than normal. To deepen the issue, March through May marks the first of two “long” rain seasons of 2017, and currently, that measurement is also below average.
We praise God that local and global humanitarian efforts are responding to the need; in March, 1.2 million people were given assistance through food and cash programs. An estimated 2.6 million are currently still in need of aid.
Some of the communities where Expansion International works have felt the effects of the drought more than others. However, for the people of Kenya, the challenges remain. Even in areas where drought has not been as severe, food insecurity for the masses has created scarcity over the entire region.
Please pray for life-giving rain and sustained health to fall over the people of Kenya, and for God’s hand of mercy to cover the crops and livestock there.
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