Taskforce report reveals rot in Nakuru health sector

Nakuru County Governor Lee Kinyanjui (centre) with his Deputy Erick Korir (right) after receiving a report by Nakuru County Health Taskforce Chairman James Tuitoek on October12, 2017 at Ole Ken Hotel in Nakuru. PHOTO | AYUB MUIYURO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The findings revealed that the ongoing nurses strike has disrupted health services at the county.
  • The report further recommended that the Nakuru County mortuary should be managed by the Nakuru Annex Hospital.

Nakuru health sector is set for major reforms after a taskforce report revealed rot in the division.

The committee appointed by Governor Lee Kinyanjui to assess the status of health services in the county released its findings on Thursday.

The dilapidated infrastructure, lack of drugs, lack of human resource and duplication of roles among others were some of the issues identified as ailing the sector.

The report also indicated that the ongoing nurses strike has disrupted health services at the county.

NO KITCHEN

The taskforce chairman, who is former Egerton University Vice- Chancellor Prof James Tuitoek said they visited health facilities in all the 55 wards.

“Some of the maternities have no kitchen to cook food for the pregnant mothers.

“We have poorly maintained infrastructure in the name of health facilities while others have been condemned and are dangerous for patients and staff,” said Prof Tuitoek.

He said most of the sub-county health projects have stalled, including the multimillion trauma centre at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital.

“Nakuru trauma centre requires Sh26million to be completed,” he said.

The committee recommended that the county government embark on massive renovations of the stalled projects, some of which were poorly designed.
STALLED PROJECTS

“The best way to approach this problem is to complete the stalled projects and not starting new projects,” he added.

The taskforce findings revealed that the county sole waste disposal incinerator at the Langalanga hospital broke down in May this year and is yet to be repaired.

“This is very risky because having medical waste disposal stored for long periods without being disposed could lead to spread of diseases such multi-drug resistance tuberculosis,” said Prof Tuitoek.

He said some of the hospitals at the sub- county level were burning or burying the medical waste contrary to the environment and medical ethics.

The committee recommended that the county government invest in an effective medical waste incinerator to serve both public and private hospitals.

INTENSIVE CARE

On the shortage of drugs, the committee recommended that the county government source the drugs from local suppliers saying the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency was ineffective.

Prof Tuitoek said Nakuru Level Five Hospital should be left to handle specialised treatment and Intensive Care Unit services.

The report further recommended that the Nakuru County mortuary should be managed by the Nakuru Annex Hospital in order to increase its revenue streams.

Receiving the report, Governor Kinyanjui promised that the county will fully implement recommendations in the report.

“The county government will work towards fully implementing the report starting with the most critical areas highlighted,” he said.