Wambora to transform Embu Hospital to a parastatal

Embu Governor Martin Wambora addresses journalists after presiding over the opening of the Embu County Assembly on September 12, 2017. The governor said he will transform Embu Level Five Hospital into a parastatal in order to enhance efficiency. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The governor said the hospital will start offering health services without disruptions.

  • The hospital has also formed linkages with two hospitals in India and USA.

  • Currently, the hospital is attracting at least 1,200 out patients per day.

Embu Governor Martin Wambora has kicked off a process to transform the Embu Level Five Hospital into a parastatal in the next three months, in a bid to enhance service delivery.

The governor said the hospital, which is equipped to serve as a teaching and referral institution, will start offering health services without disruptions thereby increasing efficiency and service delivery to residents.

Speaking after opening the second Embu County Assembly on Tuesday, Mr Wambora said that once privatised, the facility will be recruiting medics on a two year contracts to ease process of firing underperforming staff.

The hospital already appointed former Government Pathologist Dr Moses Njue as its Chief Executive Officer, after setting up a Sh250million complex aimed at boosting medical tourism.

LINKAGES

The hospital has also formed linkages with two hospitals in India and USA, which will see the Embu Hospital perform kidney transplant.

The governor said the facility, which is the largest in the region, would be expected to generate its own revenue to fund operations, as well as offer quality services at  low cost.

Currently, the hospital is attracting at least 1,200 out-patient clients per day with a increase in patients from other counties such as Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Kitui and Kirinyaga.

“Personnel at the facility will be employed on a two –year contract and those underperforming will be sacked. This will increase efficiency," said the governor, adding that the move will ensure service delivery at all times even when other health workers are on strike.

STRIKING NURSES

The county boss at the same time said plans were underway to sack striking nurses saying there was no money to pay staff who have not reported to work for over 100 days.

He also noted that there was an on-going process to renew contracts of 30 nurses who were employed on a temporary basis at the Embu Teaching and Referral Hospital when the nurses' strike began.

However, his statement elicited sharp reactions from MCAs who called on President Kenyatta to intervene and have the nurses strike called off.

Assembly Deputy Speaker Steve Simba said the government should not allow the Council of Governors to take the front seat in addressing the issue since some are politicising it at the expense of citizens.

He said threatening nurses is misinformed and meant to intimidate them adding that only the president can put an end to the strike.