MCAs storm referral hospital over week long filth

Linen being dried at the Kerugoya Referral Hospital. [Munene Kamau/Standard]

The County Assembly Committee on Health has denounced poor hygiene at the Kerugoya Referral Hospital.

The committee had earlier made impromptu visits to all the other health facilities in the county and found a similar situation.

Led by its chairman Fredrick Bundi, the committee expressed disgust at the rot in the wards after the county government sacked over 200 casual workers.

After an extensive inspection of the referral hospital, the committee held a crisis closed-door meeting with County Chief Officer for Health Stanley Muriithi.

The meeting was also attended by County Director of Public Health Evans Kago, whom the committee said was expected to have closed down the hospital due to the high risk of disease outbreak.

“With the wards not cleaned for about a week now, especially the maternity and the mortuary due to lack of casual employees to carry out the job, we fear a possible explosion of diseases,” said Mr Bundi.

The county has had no CEC for Health following the sudden resignation of Dr Agnes Gachoki in February, this year, after she sharply differed with the county administration.

Gachoki, a gynaecologist, upon resignation reverted to her private practice in Nairobi.

The committee later retreated to the assembly chambers to compile its findings which it promised to make public soon.

Dr Muriithi declined to talk to journalists, maintaining only the governor or her deputy Peter Ndambiri are authorised to speak to the press.

Last week, Kirinyaga Senator Charles Kibiru expressed concern that Governor Anne Waiguru was running an incomplete government.

He hinted that Waiguru could be summoned by Senate to explain why she had also not filled the position of Transport executive after the sacking of Peter Karugumi last year.

“As the Senate, our core mandate is to ensure all the 47 counties are running as per the Constitution and no governor should operate without a fully constituted government," said Kibiru while meeting Mwea rice farmers over their land ownership last week.