Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and his Busia counterpart Sospeter Ojaamong have expressed sorrow following the death of senior orthopaedic surgeon Daniel Alushula.
Alushula, who worked at the Busia County Teaching and Referral Hospital, died on Friday at Avenue Hospital in Kisumu.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) confirmed on its official Twitter handle that the medic died of Covid-19.
Oparanya said, “The death of Dr Daniel Alushula has robbed us of a renowned orthopedic surgeon whose medical services have saved many lives.
“Alushula was a competent, diligent and humble doctor who devoted his life to saving lives and serving people. On behalf of the people of Kakamega, my family and on my own behalf, I convey my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and relatives.”
Ojaamong, for his part, described the medic as a professional who will be missed in Busia and Kakamega.
“I am saddened to learn of the untimely death of renowned Busia County Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr Daniel Alushula, whose nearly four decades of professional service extending to other neighbouring counties earned him many accolades,” Ojaamong said on Friday evening.
“On behalf of the people of Busia, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of the late. He will be remembered for his dedicated service to the residents of Busia and Kakamega counties. May God rest his soul in eternal peace.”
The late Alushula will be remembered for being the only orthopaedic surgeon in the Western region whose generosity, according to Ojaamong, saw him also pitch camp in Kakamega where he operated a private orthopaedic clinic.
The medic’s death raises concern over the safety of health practitioners who handle Covid-19 patients. There has been a rise in the number of health workers contracting the disease.
KMPDU has consistently accused the government of neglecting healthcare workers despite many of them putting their lives on the line to save other lives.