As crisis persists, Kirinyaga patients flock to Nyeri hospital

Karatina Level Four Hospital in Nyeri County is grappling with an influx of patients from the neighbouring Kirinyaga where medical services have been paralysed for the last one month.

A spot check by the Nation found that the number of patients in the outpatient wing and wards had more than doubled compared to three weeks ago.

Some of the patients in a queue at the outpatient wing said they had waited two days to see a doctor.

HOPE LOST

A sick Purity Njeri said she arrived at about 6am after travelling from Kagumo village in Kirinyaga, yet had not been attended to by 11am.

She said she had lost hope.

“Our county health facilities are in crisis so I had to seek medical care here," she said.

"I arrived early enough hoping to get medical attention as soon as possible but as you see I have not even managed to get registered. The queue is quite long; I don't think I will be treated today," she said.

The story was the same for Ms Rose Wanjiku, who travelled from Kirinyaga with her one year-old baby.

While complaining of intolerable congestion, others asked Kirinyaga, whose governor is Anne Waiguru, and medics there to find a solution before matters worsen.

"STRETCHED"

Hospital director Carol Gichuki also spoke of a crisis, saying their facilities were "stretched".

Dr Gichuki cited the wards, saying more than 300 patients had been admitted, despite a capacity for 216, so they had to share beds.

“It is true that the numbers in this hospital have gone up owing to the issues in Kirinyaga. Of course the human resources aspect is not a bit challenging so we are seeking assistance from other facilities," she said.

"We hope Kirinyaga will resolve its issues soon."

The director noted, however, that medics at the institutions were doing their best.

She said the workload had forced them to seek reinforcement from other facilities in Nyeri.