By Francis Ngige The once popular Mathari Mission Hospital in Nyeri is a shadow of its former self. From a reputable medical facility drawing patients from different parts the country, the Catholic-run hospital can barely function, due to financial constraints. The hospital, established by Consolata Missionaries in early 1937, had cut a niche in the medical field and has, over the years, acted as a referral facility in Central and Eastern provinces. Previously, with the help of international donors and local sponsors, the hospital excelled in providing subsidised medical services to the less fortunate. Before the turn of the century, it retained a reputation in providing medical and nursing care for the local community and people from neighbouring countries. Despite boasting modern equipment, the hospital has been operating under capacity. Among the modern equipment installed at the facility is a computerised tomography scanner, in which an X-Ray beam is deflected to sequential non-adjacent locations to collect imaging information. It is the latest model and cost Sh14 million. Mathari hospital also has an ultra-sound instrument, which can detect the sex of a baby. The 217-bed hospital, located just outside Nyeri Town and administered by the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri, is under utilised.Keep Reading
A patient in the Intensive Care Unit at Mathari Mission Hospital.
"There were some administrators who, despite being in the hospital full-time, had little concentration on its daily running," he said.
He said the new administration, put in place last September, has begun restructuring.
"After the new management took over, there has been an increase in in-patient and outpatient services. The services offered by the hospital are being announced with the church network in the province and elsewhere," said the employee.
Recently, the church sacked its subordinate staff, which resulted in an outcry.
The sacking, which was due to cost-cutting, led to a go-slow among nurses and other medical personnel, who feared they might be next.
The administrator, Fr John Mbai, concedes all is not well at the hospital, once regarded as among the best in the country.
Mbai says the hospital has faced financial constraints that have been aggravated "by high poverty levels befalling the local communities".
He, however, refuses to admit the previous administration was to blame for the current state of affairs.
"I would not like to be drawn to the argument that there are people who mismanaged the hospital. All I want is to get it back on its feet and I believe, in time, we are going to fulfill that," he says.
"Many patients cannot afford to pay the hospital bills, despite the highly subsidised service," says Mbai, "as a result, the hospital lacks enough cash flow, which is essential for its smooth running."
potential
Mbai says the hospital has the potential to sustain itself and offer quality healthcare at affordable rates.
"We have already developed a strategic plan to invest in modern equipment, to facilitate accurate and prompt diagnosis."
He also says information about the hospital has not been made available to the public.
"We have world-class health facilities, but few people know that, that is why we are embarking on a new mission to make it known in all corners of the country," he says.