Thousands
of doctors in Kenya have embarked on an indefinite strike to demand that the
government spend more money on health services.
The strike has affected hospitals, with
doctors only giving emergency treatment to patients.
Teachers and university lecturers are
already on strike, paralysing the education sector.
The cabinet said it would meet on Friday
to discuss the crisis.
Our reporter says that doctors at
Kenya's main referral hospital, the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, told
her they were striking mainly to demand that patient care improves.
They want the government to upgrade
hospitals and build more health facilities.
'No teaching'
The doctors complained that patients
were forced to share beds, and some died on the floor of corridors without
receiving any treatment, our reporter says.
The doctors, who earn about 80,000
Kenyan shillings ($948; £588) a month, were also demanding better pay, but
insisted that this was not the main reason why they were striking.
However, trainee doctors, who work for
free, felt strongly they should be paid, our correspondent says.
The cabinet plans to hold a special
meeting on Friday to see how it can end the crisis in both the health and
education sectors, she says.
Most children in Nairobi have not been
going to school since teachers went on an indefinite strike earlier this month
to demand wage increases of between 100% and 300%.
University lecturers are also on strike
to demand better working conditions.