Senator Moses Wetang'ula's shock over state of key health facility

Senate minority leader Moses Wetang’ula, Bungoma County Assembly Majority leader Majimbo Okumu (Left) and the assembly health committee vice chairman Chrisanthus Wechuli address the press at the Bungoma County Referral hospital on 14/6/201. (PHOTO:TITUS OTEBA/STANDARD)

Senator Moses Wetang'ula yesterday expressed shock over the state of Bungoma County Referral Hospital.

The Senate minority leader, who had made an impromptu visit to the hospital, said he found bodies in the wards contrary hours after they had been declared dead. Addressing the Press at the facility yesterday, Wetang'ula accused the county leadership of neglecting the hospital, the largest health facility in the county.

Last week, there were reports that several patients had died due to gross negligence. "The level of negligence at the facility is unimaginable. I am told 11 people have died since the health workers started a go-slow last week due to delayed payment," he said.

Wetangula found that up five patients shared a bed at the facility built during the colonial era. Even worse, the so-called state-of-the art X-Ray machine procured two months ago at Sh14 million was not functioning.

"We will not continue as if it is business as usual. Instead of this facility helping patients, it's sick itself and it needs urgent rehabilitation to save our people from careless death," said Wetang'ula.

During his visit, patients narrated how they had not been attended to more than four hours after their arrival at the facility.

The Ford Kenya party leader said wards lacked mosquito nets, the theatre was poorly lit and in a dangerous state of despair.

He said the county assembly allocated the health docket Sh1.2 billion and expressed shock that he cannot see what part of the money was not used to do.

"I am going to ask my friends in the Senate Health and public Accounts committees to visit this facility and investigate the cause of the poor services," said Wetang'ula.

He said the Bungoma County will receive Sh8.7 billion from the national government and challenged the county assembly to carry out it's oversight role of ensuring the funds are used to benefit residents.

Assembly Majority Leader Majimbo Okumu and the Vice Chairman of the Health Committee Chrisanthus Wechuli accused the executive of misusing funds allocated to the health docket. Wechuli said they would summon the executive over the state of the hospital. Governor Kenneth Lusaka has been on a three-week tour of the US on a Waste Management workshop, the second such visit in as many months.