House team probes hospital negligence in Mombasa Hospital

The Departmental Health Committee of the National Assembly has launched an investigation into allegations that Mombasa Hospital in Mombasa County delayed emergency medical treatment on a patient because he lacked money to pay.

Committee members arrived at the private hospital yesterday to investigate claims that it refused to admit 23-year-old Mohamed Bakari to its Intensive Care Unit unless his family deposited Sh300,000. The investigation was launched following a petition to the National Assembly by Embakasi South MP Irshad Sumra in August.

The petition claims the hospital was negligent and refused to admit him for about five hours after referral from Safi Hospital where he had been rushed with food poisoning complications.

In the petition, Mr Sumra asks the committee to investigate the matter to establish the cause of the alleged delay. Yesterday, Keiyo North MP Dr James Murgor acknowledged receiving the petition. He said the committee will recommend measures against the institution if it finds that it negligently refused to offer life saving treatment to the patient.

The MP said that the Constitution provides for every person to receive emergency medical treatment without being subjected to pay. "We have talked to the hospital management and the family and we will be making our report. We will take stern action if the hospital is found to have contravened the Constitution," said Dr Murgor.