Dr Wanikina appealed to Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), led by Health Committee Chair George Makari (Musikoma Ward), to come up with legislation that would provide guidelines on how abandoned patients should be handled.
"Health is a devolved function. It is therefore the responsibility of our county leaders to put in place a legal and policy framework that safeguards both patients and health facilities," he said.
Residents of Webuye, led by community leader Isaac Wanyonyi, echoed the medic's sentiments and urged the MCAs to urgently table the matter before the county assembly.
Mr Wanyonyi said the county government should partner with the national government, civil society, and faith-based organisations to create safe shelters for vulnerable patients.
At Webuye County Hospital alone, dozens of patients are reportedly stuck in wards long after completing treatment. Administrators say the situation reduces bed capacity, drives up costs, and compromises service delivery.
"A ward designed to hold 20 patients ends up hosting 30 or more not because of emergencies, but because discharged patients have nowhere else to go. It is a ticking time bomb," a nurse who requested anonymity said.
Health workers further pointed to the shortage of rehabilitation centers and mental health facilities as a major contributor to the problem.
Families struggling to cope with mentally ill relatives often abandon them at hospitals.
Doctors now want the Bungoma County Government to establish a social welfare fund for abandoned patients, expand community health programmes, and strengthen collaboration with the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection.
"This is not just a medical issue it is social, economic, and humanitarian. We need a holistic approach that protects human dignity while allowing hospitals to operate effectively," Dr. Wanikina emphasized.