Governor Sonko suspends Health executive, director over alleged laxity

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko when he appeared before the Senate Public Accounts and Investment Committee at Parliament. [Boniface Okendo/Standard]

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has suspended Health Executive Member Hitam Majevda and County Health Director Thomas Ogaro over laxity.

Sonko appointed Vesca Kangongo, who is the Executive in charge of Devolution, public services and administration, in the acting capacity.

He gave Hitam and Ogaro some 14 days to explain why Nairobi County medical facilities have poor services and lack medicines.

The Governor was perturbed to find County Health facilities in dire state during the official opening of Kangemi TB Laboratory at Kangemi Health Centre.

"I now want to caution county officials against laziness and poor performance. Moving forward, any officer found sleeping on the job will be sent home," warned Sonko.

Speaking during the function, Sonko said he will further do an overhaul of the entire procurement team after he found out some medical facilities were lacking basic things.

 The modern Kangemi TB facility is fully equipped with the latest TB diagnosis equipment and it will boost early detection and treatment of the disease.

The prevalence of Tuberculosis in Nairobi stands at 12,870.

According to the World Health Organisation, approximately 29,000 people died of TB last year in Kenya and more than half of persons estimated to have the disease were not diagnosed or treated.

"It is our responsibility to ensure that patients are treated and that those infected get the right diagnosis, treatment and care. Many people suffering from TB do not know it and the disease continues to be the top infectious killer in the world," said Sonko

At the same time, the Governor said as commitment to his manifesto and President Uhuru Kenyatta's Big Four Agenda, he has targeted to upgrade five high volume health centres to Level 4 Primary Care Hospitals.

They are; Riruta Health Centre, Lang’ata Health Centre, Westlands Health Centre, Bahati Health Centre and Mathare North Health Centre.

"We also target to upgrade four high volume health facilities to comprehensive Health centres; Ngara Health Centre, Mukuru Kwa Njenga Health Centre, Eastleigh Health Centre and Dandora 2 Health Centre," said Sonko.

He said he is committed to ensuring that they fully equip and complete projects in Pumwani, Mama Lucy Kibaki, Mutuini and Mbagathi Hospitals.

"At Mama Lucy we now have a new Oxygen Plant, while at Mbagathi we recently launched a renal unit, providing life-saving dialysis services," said the Sonko.

Japan Ambassador to Kenya Toshitsugu Uesawa said the Kangemi TB centre will help thousands of Nairobi.

He thanked Governor Sonko for his stern measures to fight graft.

 “I have gone around Kenya but what you are doing as a governor is marvelous. Thank you for the good work,” he said.