- Mung’aro has invited investors, NGOs, and private companies to take part in the transformation to ensure locals get quality health care services for the people.
- He said patients detained in health facilities are the major cause of congestion.
Image: ALPHONCE GARI
The Kilifi government intends to waive medical bills for patients who have been detained in county public hospitals to clear congestion.
Governor Gideon Mung’aro said patients detained in health facilities are the main cause of congestion.
The county administration has also partnered with the private sector to transform the health sector.
Mung’aro has invited investors, NGOs, and private companies to take part in the transformation to ensure residents get quality health care services.
Speaking after touring the health facility with members of the private sector, he said detaining patients who cannot pay costs the county more burden feeding them after they heal.
“All patients who had been detained over accrued hospital bills should be released, it is burdening hospitals,” he said.
During the tour, he said he met three patients who had been detained for quite some time and called for an audit of patients to find out those who cannot afford so that they are released.
So far, he said, the county was improving in medical supplies after his administration paid pending bills to drug suppliers within the county.
Mung’aro said all health facilities will soon have enough drugs to ensure residents get them easily.
The governor said he had brought on board all stakeholders from the private sector so that together they can find a permanent solution to the health sector issues.
He said the aim was for them to see the areas that require intervention, adding that already, some have committed to help as part of their CSR.
During the visit, the governor took the team through different areas including the hospital wards, kitchen, laundry, laboratory, outpatient department, parking areas, walkways, radiology areas, High Dependency Unit area, Theatre, Emergency wing among others.
They saw falling roofs, cracked buildings, an unmaintained parking area, a lack of patients walkways, collapsed radiology department among other issues.
Mung’aro said Kilifi was faced with so many challenges, especially in the health sector which he inherited from former governor Amason Kingi's regime.
He said the move is aimed at fast-tracking renovations and development which he said with the private sector intervention, the county can save a lot and reallocate the funds for other activities.
"We are yet to do our supplementary and the 2022/23 Financial year budget which once the private sector picks most of the renovations then allocations for these budget can be redirected to buying of vital medical equipment to improve service," he said.
The governor said in two months there will be a change in infrastructure at the hospital as the investors have shown the will to support the county.
He said he was determined to see Kilifi change positively in terms of development and service delivery.
Already the county boss said plans are in top gear to establish a referral hospital at Pwani university.
“The hospital will see doctors train, treat, research and solve complicated medical cases,” he said.
He said already, the discussion between the university and the county are ongoing with them having offered about 89 acres of land ready to have the hospital build.
"The county government legal team is currently entering into a memorandum of understanding with the university but indications are that they have allocated us 89 ares to have the facility build in their land," the governor said.
The chairman of the investors caucus Yona Bosire said they shall support the county to improve the health sector through infrastructure and equipment.
He said the private sector employs a lot of staff who are residents and their health is dependent on the government facilities.“We have done many projects before but we're determined to have a more structured way of doing things as we give back to the community,” he said.
Patients recovering at the hospital were also quick to commend the move by the governor to uplift the standards of health facilities.
Phillip Mutethia a patient suffering from a broken leg from a road accident, said the hospital has had many challenges which in turn affect patients.
Mutethia who has been at the Malindi hospital for over a month now said that already the issue of proper medical equipment especially X-rays, the wards, attendance by health workers and even hygiene was wanting.
Samwel Ibrahim also a patient said, the hospital beds have had issues of bedbugs due to lack of clean environment and beddings citing once the hospital facility is improved it will offer better services to residents.
-Edited by SKanyara
Image: ALPHONCE GARI