A 28-year-old Kenyan doctor has died of Covid-19 without having been paid for five months, the doctors’ union has announced.

Stephen Mogusu did not have health insurance and his family had started an online fundraiser while he was being treated in the intensive care unit.

The main doctors’ union tweeted that it was “too steep a price for patriotism”

The governor for Machakos county, where Dr Mogusu worked, said he was employed under the national government’s universal health programme.

“Improper that his employer, the national government, had not paid him for months. Doctors employed by my government have no salary arrears, receive allowances & all have insurance cover,” Governor Alfred Mutua tweeted. false

A doctor, Mercy Korir, tweeted that Dr Mogusu’s last words to colleagues were, “bail out when you can because the mistreatment by government is not worth your life”.

Doctors in Kenya have complained about poor payment, lack of protective gear and lack of a comprehensive medical cover.

They had issued a strike notice that expired on Monday but was extended for two weeks to allow for more discussions.