• Hospital CEO said not all departments are functional citing the ICU, MRI services and mortuary among others.
• A doctor at the county referral hospital claimed the new facility was not reducing their burdens as expected.
Image: EUTYCAS MUCHIRI
The Othaya Level 6 Hospital has been returning patients to the lower level Nyeri County Referral Hospital for treatment, residents have claimed.
The facility, operationalised in August is a national referral hospital.
A resident, Muthoni Munene, said a patient she took to Othaya was referred to the Nyeri for a CT scan and an MRI.
“They told my patient not to go back there but seek treatment at the county referral hospital after the tests,” Munene said.
A doctor at the county referral hospital claimed the new facility was not reducing their burdens as expected.
“We wonder how the patients from the national facility are landing here. All our level four hospitals are also referring their patients here,” the doctor said.
The Othaya Level 6 CEO John Murima admitted that some services are still in the implementation stage and there could be things that are missing.
Murima said not all departments are functional citing the ICU, MRI services and mortuary among others.
“Such cases where the departments are not functional are being referred to Nyeri County Referral Hospital but they are just short term hiccups which will be addressed,” he said.
Some positions, he said, have been advertised, shortlisting are being done and more staff will be posted.
“We do not refer because we do not want to work or something like that. Those are now technical aspects,” he said adding the referrals are being done due to shortage of staff and equipment.
He said the government is doing all it can to establish systems at the hospital adding that the facility has already started doing dialysis a week ago while four theatres will be operationalised in a week.
Nyeri county chief officer for health Newton Wambugu confirmed that they have been receiving the referrals.
“The hospital is taking off sequentially. It has not started disciplines and that is the reason PGH might feel like they are referring patients back,” Wambugu said.
However, he said, it has been taking up surgical services and its doctors and nurses have been playing a big role in supporting UHC in the county.
National government officials in August assured the public that the facility was well equipped with modern equipment and was ready to receive referrals.
Public Service Commission chairman Stephen Kirogo said the commission would continue recruiting staff until the targeted number is achieved.
This, he said, would ensure the facility is running effectively and efficiently.
The facility with a 350-beds capacity had a staff of about 600 out of the targeted 1300.
“We are happy to report here that with the staff in place, the hospital is ready to start operations,” he said.
More staff would be recruited based on need and as the operation in the facility is expanded, he said.
Kirogo said upon the operationalisation, the commission would be able to gauge the need and respond to the requirements of the moment.
The hospital is expected to serve Nyeri, Laikipia, Isiolo, Meru, Marsabit, Kirinyaga and Murang’a counties.