Health Ministry ignores Nelson Marwa clinic order

A month after Coast Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa ordered the removal of containers modified into mobile clinics, they are still lying idle in Mombasa.

Mr Marwa directed that the 40-foot containers be moved from the National Youth Service (NYS) camp at Miritini.

The Ministry of Health, which contracted Estama Investments Ltd to import the clinics, is yet to make any move.

Mr Marwa said the removal of the containers would create space for a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts.

MATERNAL HEALTH

Reports to the effect that the containers (that have been modified to look like a clinics, complete with consultation rooms, pharmacies, labs and toilets) were still in Mombasa more than a year after they were imported from Guangzhou, China were brought to bare following revelations of a Sh5.2 billion scandal in the Health Ministry.

The clinics were meant to offer maternal and child health, emergency and outpatient, post-rape, HIV and TB, family planning, immunisation and growth monitoring services across Kenya.

“A letter was written to the health department advising it to take the clinics, but ministry officials did not act on the request,” said a source privy to the matter.

INSTALL CLINICS

The Nation has also learnt that Estama was to deliver and install the mobile clinics in counties.

Of the 100 clinics, one was taken to Nairobi for demonstration purposes. A senior NYS official said two others have been put aside for use at Miritini camp.

“We were to take those that would remain here and wait for the ministry to take away the rest,” said the official who asked not to be named.

When the National Assembly’s Health Committee members visited the yard last year, it emerged that the Health ministry was yet to receive the containers officially.