@ppcheti
Lamu Governor Fahim Twaha has been summoned by the Senate over the deteriorating state of health facilities in the county.
Members of the Senate's Health committee arrived in Lamu on Saturday on a fact-finding mission following a petition by Senator Anwar Loitiptip.
Loitiptip called fro investigations into the matter.
Lamu's health sector has come under criticism for the poor state of public hospitals and dispensaries most of which lack drugs and other crucial amenities.
Speaking when he appeared before the county assembly's committee on health, executive Anne Gathoni admitted there was a shortage of drugs in hospitals.
Gathoni said the shortage was occasioned by medics and other hospital staff who she said steal the drugs.
The situation had forced patients to be sent to hospitals in Mombasa, Kilifi and Malindi to buy medicine.
Residents have been forced to seek treatment in private hospitals which are costly.
The Senate's committee led by chairman Michael Mbito toured major hospitals in Lamu including the King Fahad Referral Hospital and the Mokowe and Mpeketoni subcounty hospitals where they scrutinised facilities and interviewed patients and medics over the state of affairs.
Mbito who spoke to reporters outside the King Fahad Hospital said they had confirmed the facilities were facing serious challenges.
He wondered why the situation was so yet the county receives enough funds to help cater for health services.
Mbito said there was need for the governor to appear before Senators in Nairobi to explain why the health sector wasn’t functioning as expected.
“We are here following the petition of senator Loitiptip who submitted an alarming report on the poor state of hospitals and dispensaries here. We have gone round and discovered that it is indeed very true. The people of Lamu are obviously not enjoying the fruits of devolution. We have summoned the governor to appear before the committee and explain why,” Mbito said.
He accused the governor Twaha of avoiding them despite having been informed about the team's plan to visit Lamu.
“We notified the governor about our coming and our objective and so we obviously expected him to be here but he is not. He decided to avoid us but he should know that this isn’t over. He will soon appear before us and tell us why the people of Lamu are undergoing all these misery,” said Mbito.
Loitiptip accused the governor of wasting too much time playing BBI politics instead of working to improve the health sector. He said the county government had miserably failed to provide quality services to the people of Lamu.
“I have seen the governor at every BBI rally but he couldn’t make time for something as crucial to the people of Lamu as this. He should know that quality healthcare isn’t a favour but a right,” Loitiptip said.
edited by peter obuya
