Magayu Magayu’s short story, “Do You Know Anybody?”, a true reflection of how corrupt doctors steal from the sick and let them die
Do You Know Anybody
By: Wafula Meshack
Worth Noting:
- Just to commence on, “It is not the cancer that killed him; it is the thought that he knew nobody in this place to help him.” These were the final strong words said by this old man on the sick bed, next to Jennifer’s husband, Kimani, a high school teacher who is left to die in excruciating pain as he suffers from thigh-bone cancer.
- From the start of the story, we see Ngugi entering Mung’ethe National Hospital’s Cancer Ward and walk towards Kimani’s bed, his old-time friend who is under immense pain. Kimani demands to know where his wife, Jennifer is. “Where is Jenn…?”
- Soon Jennifer appears with no report on the patient; she had gone to pick up.” They lost the report” she says.
The anthology, The Winner and other stories is a collection of some of the best, thoughtful and candid Short stories from several of the many social, political and economic backgrounds found in East Africa. “Do You Know Anybody? is one of the stories by this Kenyan writer, Magayu Magayu, the same writer of ” The Transition” still in the same anthology.
In our hospitals we have patients who die daily in the hands of doctors, thinking that they succumb to the diseases they suffer from, but in real sense, that has not always been the matter. There are a number of painful factors leading to dying of poor patients in our various medical facilities, as clearly depicted by Magayu Magayu’s, Do You Know Anybody?.
Just to commence on, “It is not the cancer that killed him; it is the thought that he knew nobody in this place to help him.” These were the final strong words said by this old man on the sick bed, next to Jennifer’s husband, Kimani, a high school teacher who is left to die in excruciating pain as he suffers from thigh-bone cancer.
From the start of the story, we see Ngugi entering Mung’ethe National Hospital’s Cancer Ward and walk towards Kimani’s bed, his old-time friend who is under immense pain. Kimani demands to know where his wife, Jennifer is. “Where is Jenn…?”
Soon Jennifer appears with no report on the patient; she had gone to pick up.” They lost the report” she says.
When you further continue reading the story, you will discover that the report is not lost, it’s just the fact that they know no one in the hospital and have no money to bribe the laboratory attendant. Jennifer says,” Of course it is not lost, they want something” and later on the nurse says,” This place is like that, unless you know somebody…”
This is the same story that happens in real life situations in our hospitals here in Kenya, where doctors attend and give more attention to the people they know. In the same vein, patients are denied to access the public medicine which is always free of charge. They are demanded to pay or else buy them from chemist from towns. Doctors claim they do not have drugs with them.
Ngugi clearly knows that this is a game that happens in hospitals, and for him, he is kind a just man.He finds no reason why patients are forced to bribe to get services they have the right to.He orders to be given the report. He swears neither not to give any money or force himself knowing somebody to be attended. “Give us the report!” He loudly says that the hospital is a public institution that people pay taxes to maintain it and pay salaries to the laboratory people…”Ironically, the laboratory attendant is not frightened anymore with his words, “If you think there is something fishy about it you can call the police.” He arrogantly replies and disappears.
We are told in the story that on seeing that Kimani will die, he remains with no option and decides to go by the rule. “Go get the report”, He says handing Jennifer two fifty shillings note regretfully. Funny enough, they refuse to take the money, claiming that they do not take bribes. In real sense, they are afraid that it might be a trap set on them. This is after Ngugi had shouted at them.
Later on, some stranger appears and promises to help them. This man introduces himself as Kavisi Musyoka, a clerk in the labs. “I will pinch the report for you but on conditions you do not raise the matter for if you do I will lose my job…”He warns them.
At that particular time, he demands of 250 shillings, to get the same drugs that Jennifer had been denied, after he was told that they have no such in the stock. They plan to meet secretly at an agreed point in town, after he had completed his risky mission.
Soon afterwards, they were there before five o’clock, waiting for Kavisi. He soon appears lately, deeply covered. He unbuttons his jacket and takes out the report and the drugs from an inner pocket. He then passes them under the table to Jennifer.
From the story, we learn that Kavisi had decided to do this since he had been seeing people die in the hospital because they know no one. He confirms that his own brother died in the same scenario, before he was employed at the hospital.
Later on, it’s confirmed that Kimani died, before they even deliver them.
As portrayed, we learn how inhuman, cruel and corrupt our doctors are. Never satisfied with their salaries at work, and in the process we see poor patients dyeing helplessly.
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Good idea