By Magdalene Mukami

NAIROBI, Kenya

Health services were crippled at Kenyatta National Hospital in the Kenyan capital Nairobi after 700 doctors went on strike protesting the indefinite suspension of a colleague after he performed brain surgery on the wrong patient sparking outrage in the country.

The head of the Kenya Medical Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Dr. Ouma Oluga condemned the suspension

“From today there will actually be no services at Kenyatta National Hospital, we are demanding the reinstatement of our colleague, unconditionally, we are saying that we want to be involved in any investigation that is going on so that the truth can come out,” Oluga said.

Oluga said that “mistakes happen” noting that the suspended doctor had been unwarrantedly victimized.

A statement from the doctors read: "The surgery was done on the wrong patient mainly because of wrong patient labeling by the ward staff. If you punish people for reporting or identifying errors, they will stop reporting them.”

Kenyans seeking medical attention at Kenyatta National hospital which is said to be the biggest hospital in East and Central Africa were forced to seek alternative solutions in private hospitals which are expensive.