The Sector Committee on Health and Sanitation, chaired by Hon. Bernard Sila, conducted an inspection tour of the Kitui County Referral Hospital on Wednesday to assess the current state of the facility.
The visit aimed to gather firsthand accounts from patients and staff about the challenges faced within the hospital.
During the inspection, the committee toured key departments, including Radiology, Laboratory, Drug Store, Pharmacy, Mortuary, and Inpatient Wards. Members engaged with patients to obtain feedback on their experiences and the effectiveness of services at the referral facility.
The committee uncovered several pressing issues affecting healthcare delivery at the hospital. Patients reported a severe shortage of essential medications, forcing them to purchase drugs from external pharmacies.
Observations noted poor sanitation conditions within the facility, breakdowns of critical medical equipment, and a lack of basic supplies such as gloves, tissues, cotton, and syringes. Alarmingly, the radiology and laboratory machines have not been serviced for an extended period, further complicating patient care.
In response to these findings, the Health and Sanitation Committee pledged to delve deeper into the underlying causes of the identified challenges.
Chairperson Hon. Bernard Sila (Mwingi Central) emphasized the committee’s commitment to its oversight role, assuring that issues raised by patients would be treated with urgency and addressed with the relevant authorities.
