Health services at the Kilifi County hospital almost came to a standstill moment after Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro and his Deputy Flora Mbetsa made an impromptu visit to the hospital and found the situation pathetic.
The Governor came face to face with the realities of the desperation of the facility depended on millions of people from as far as Lamu, Garissa and Tana River who seek medical services there.
Governor Mung’aro went around the entire hospital, assessed the situation found out that the operations at the hospital were still analogue. He was shocked to find that patients have to buy an exercise book for their records for them to be served in this era of digitisation.
Some of the patients told journalists accompanying the Governor that they normally share beds in the ward because there was no space.
The facility lacks specialized services and drugs which forces patients to be referred to Mombasa and buy specialized drugs outside the hospital.
One of the patients Kanze Katana said one of the patients fall down at night while sharing a bed as she could not turn by herself.
“We are sharing beds here two people per bed, as our visitors if there is a way you can assist us we will appreciate it,” she said.
Ms Esther Kadzo who was admitted to the hospital three days ago said the congestion is high and called on the authorities to intervene.
She however admitted that they were getting enough drugs from the hospital.
Margaret Kulola from Mariakani also called on Mung’aro tp equip the other health facility as her area cannot handle dialysis patients.
She said drugs for specialized cases are not available at the hospital forcing them to buy outside.
Job Gayo the medical superintendent at Malindi sub-county hospital said there is an urgent need for hospital beds and wards to be increased together with staff as there are shortages.
He said the problem of patients sharing beds is real because they cannot return patients at home yet they require to be admitted.
“We need to increase the beds and wards so that the patients can be in one bed each,” he said.
Gayo said for the hospital to move away from the analogue system they require a digital system so as to be able to handle the data of all people in their system.
He said they have no ICU and CT scan machines which are the ones that will prevent any referral at the hospital to Mombasa.
“I am confident that the governor is going to handle the problem more than the previous regimes because he has been here with us since he was sworn into office,” he said.
Mr Mung’aro said the biggest problem at the facility was equipment such as ICN and CT scans.
“Give us the time we will address them, in 100 days we shall ensure the problems are solved we promised in 100 days all hospitals will have drugs and already KEMSA has begun supplying drugs and we have seen them here,” he said.
The Governor said they will start taking records of all the specialized drugs required to buy them even if they are not at KEMSA they will be acquired elsewhere.
he said patients who are poor and cannot afford to pay costs shall be allowed to go home.
He said that he will continue doing the impromptu visits even at night to ensure all workers deliver the services required to the people diligently.
