By PATRICK BEJA
Mombasa, KENYA: The state of public health institutions in Mombasa County is so worrying that Governor Hassan Joho has appointed a committee to prepare a detailed report on the situation.
In the county of about 1.2 million people, and one which hosts Kenya’s second largest city, hospitals and health centres are reported to have suffered years of neglect and lack of expansion to meet the demand of a rapidly growing population.
Deputy Governor Hazel Katana is expected to head a team of health experts in seeking a solution to the rundown health institutions and staffing crisis across the county. Mr Joho has set up the team following the devolution of health services.
“We expect the team, headed by the deputy governor, to give a clear picture of the state of health institutions and their requirements. It will start work next week,” said County Executive Member for Health Binti Omar.
Although health officials downplayed the situation, sources indicate that there is a huge shortage of personnel in hospitals and health centres.
For instance, at the 700-bed Coast Province General Hospital, the regional health referral institution, there are about 320 nurses and a shortage of 400.
“There is a huge shortage of staff in every unit,” said an official of the Nurses Union of Kenya who asked not to named to avoid being targeted.
In an interview, County Medical Services Director Khadija Shikelly said the state of hospitals and health centres in the county was being addressed through the audit ordered by the governor. She said the county has 1,432 health workers and 30 specialists who include doctors but admitted there was a shortage.
Apart from the referral health institution, Mombasa County has Tudor, Likoni and Port Reitz district hospitals. The county also has 34 health centres that are in a sorry state after years of being run down by the defunct Mombasa Municipal Council.
