The Kitui County government is facing criticism after the Sector Committee on Health and Sanitation, led by Hon. Bernard Sila, visited the Kitui County Referral Hospital to assess the facility’s status and service delivery. During the inspection, the committee visited key departments, including Radiology, Laboratory, the Drug Store, Pharmacy, Mortuary, and Inpatient Wards.
The visit revealed serious challenges affecting both patients and staff. Among the key issues were a lack of essential medicines, forcing patients to purchase drugs externally, poor sanitation within the hospital, and the breakdown of vital machines, which has severely hampered treatment. Additionally, patients are required to buy basic medical supplies like gloves, tissues, cotton, and syringes from outside the facility due to shortages.
Radiology and laboratory machines have reportedly not been serviced for a significant period, further compounding the hospital’s operational problems. The committee interacted with patients to gather their feedback on the services provided at the facility.
In response, Hon. Bernard Sila vowed that the Health and Sanitation Committee would conduct a thorough investigation to identify the root causes of these challenges. He emphasized the need for urgency in addressing these issues and promised to hold the county government accountable for ensuring improved healthcare services at the referral facility.
The conditions in the wards sparked protests from patients and their families, who expressed their dissatisfaction with the hospital’s poor infrastructure. The county government, however, shifted the blame to the executive arm, citing administrative challenges at the 200-bed facility.
The committee has pledged to exercise its oversight role effectively to ensure that the grievances raised by the patients are addressed promptly and that the hospital receives the necessary support to provide adequate healthcare services.
