Good Samaritan saves patients after Mombasa hospital fails to pay its power bill
A Mombasa Cement Ltd factory in Kilifi. The company directors came to the rescue of patients at Port Reitz District Hospital in Mombasa County after Kenya Power cut off its electricity over an unpaid bill. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mombasa Cement Ltd managers on Thursday morning paid Sh471,099 that Port Reitz District Hospital owed Kenya Power.
- Directors of the company, however, declined to be photographed, saying they were only doing a good turn.
- The situation degenerated on Tuesday after the only generator at the hospital stopped working, forcing hospital managers to stop admitting inpatients.
- The hospital, which serves Mombasa West Sub-County, is run by the county government.
A Good Samaritan came to the rescue of patients at Port Reitz District Hospital in Mombasa County after Kenya Power cut off its electricity supply because of an unpaid Sh471,099 bill.
Saying it was touched by the plight of patients, including pregnant women who had to be transferred to Coast Provincial General Hospital following the power cut, managers of Mombasa Cement Ltd on Thursday morning paid the Sh471,099 that Port Reitz owed Kenya Power.
Directors of the company, however, declined to be photographed, saying they were only doing a good turn.
“We do not want patients to suffer,’’ said Mohamed Akram, Mombasa Cement’s human resource manager.
“We came in as a Good Samaritan,” he told the Nation after services resumed at the hospital.
Mr Mohamed said managers talked to Kenya Power officials before Mombasa Cement was given the green light to clear the debt.
“It is part of our corporate social responsibility,’’ Mr Mohamed added.
GENERATOR STOPPED WORKING
Maternity, mortuary, theatre, laboratory and outpatient services at the second-largest public hospital in the county were hit hardest after power was cut last Friday.
The situation degenerated on Tuesday after the only generator at the hospital stopped working, forcing administrators to stop admitting inpatients.
The hospital, which serves Mombasa West Sub-County, is run by the county government.
Services resumed by mid-morning after electricity was restored to the facility.
In Mtwapa, Kilifi County, the company sponsors Sahajanand Special School, which takes care of more than 600 children with various disabilities.
It spends about Sh70 million annually on the school and its pupils.
When the Nation visited the hospital Thursday morning, hundreds of patients had thronged the facility to receive medical services immediately after electricity was restored.
“I came for a malaria test and was sent to a nearby private hospital when power was restored. I opted to wait because I can't afford [the test at a private clinic],’’ said patient Jecinta Juma.
The X-ray department, the most affected, was fully operational, with health workers upbeat.
“It is a good thing that electricity has been restored. At least we can perform minor operations that had been suspended due to lack of electricity,” said a medic.
