Nakuru dispensaries face closure over poor services

Seven dispensaries operated by the Nakuru County government have been issued with closure notice as they do not comply with the minimum health standards.

Bagaria, Banita, Mbaruk, Naishi Game, Namuncha, Ndabibi and Ngondi dispensaries earmarked for closure as the services they offered were substandard.

Also affected by the closure is the National Youth Service dispensary.

According to a closure notice dated October 8 signed by the acting director of General for Health, Dr Wekesa Masasabi, the facilities have poor health infrastructure and a severe shortage of personnel.

POOR INFRASTRUCTURE

Many of the dispensaries in the cosmopolitan county are struggling with poor infrastructure and shortage of health workers.

Interestingly, the critical Health department has been allocated the lion’s share of the county’s Sh21 billion budget.

In the 2019/2020 financial year, the department has been allocated 31.1 percent of the total budget which translates to Sh6.6 billion.

The department, which is upgrading health facilities in all 11 sub-counties as part of its plans to bring services closer to Nakuru’s more than two million residents, will spend Sh73 million on hiring staff and an additional Sh97 million on staff promotions.

REPORT

The closure of the dispensaries in the county comes in the wake of a report by the Nakuru County Assembly Health committee which paints a grim picture of decaying infrastructure and poor services at Mau Narok Health Centre and Mwisho Wa Lami Dispensary.

At least 811 health facilities operated by the county government and private investors have been affected by the closure notice.

“This was based on the services offered, health infrastructure and the health personnel minimum standards as per the Legal Notice No 3 of the Medical Practitioners and Dentist Act (Cap253),” said the closure notice.

LICENSE

Dr Wekesa said that the affected facilities did not qualify to be licensed as they fell short of the minimum required standards.

This puts on spot the county’s licensing procedures and approval which have been blamed for the mushrooming of substandard health facilities across Nakuru.

Dr Wekesa said the owners of the health facilities should comply with the set regulations if the closures are to be reversed.

“They can reapply for the reopening of the facilities if they comply with the minimum standards,” said Dr Wekesa.

She added, “Until such a time that they comply with minimum standards and apply to relevant regulatory bodies for inspection, they will remain closed.”