Naivasha Level IV Hospital has been identified as a deathtrap with over 20 newborns losing their lives every month.
Members of the Nakuru County Assemblies were left in shock after learning that patients in the cash-strapped facility were struggling to get food while medication was a challenge.
Over 60 per cent of machines had broken down, there was an acute shortage of staff, and basic medical items were messing and suppliers had pulled out due to lack of payment.
Some critical departments like maternity, laboratory and theatres were being manned by one nurse despite the rising number of patients seeking services.
During the fact-finding missing by members of the health committee, the management admitted that they faced an acute challenge of funding which threatened ground services.
Workers interviewed admitted that critical machines like incubators broke down months ago while in the pharmacy, the last dispatch was sent in November last year.
One of the senior nurses in the maternity ward noted that up to four premature babies were sharing one incubator after the others broke down, raising fears of new infections among the minors.
“We have been forced to improvise some of the equipment while basic needs like sugar and feeding rations for minors are none existent,” said the nurse.
The Superintendent in charge of the facility Dr Bernard Warui admitted that the facility was facing tens of challenges with suppliers being owed over Sh300m.
He said that patients were getting a basic meal of maize and beans as the facility could not offer any other course of meal due to the financial crunch.
“We are facing many challenges due to the financial crisis but we are keen to improve services and we hope that this committee will come to our assistance,” he said.
Naivasha East MCA Stanley Karanja termed the hospital as a death trap noting that nearly all the machines had broken down leading to high newborn mortality.
He questioned the Sh300m debt within a two-year period adding that the assembly could embark on short-term measures to come to the rescue of the hospital.
“We have learnt that this hospital is losing over 20 newborn babies every month, patients are struggling to get food, there is an acute shortage of staff and this is worrying,” he said.
Lakeview MCA Mwangi Muraya identified the hospital’s laboratory as the most affected due to lack of regents and personnel.
“The laboratory is the heart of this hospital but unfortunately it’s not operational and this has led to a lot of suffering for patients,” he said.
This was echoed by Hellsgate MCA Virginia Wamaitha who called for urgent action to save tens of patients seeking services in the facility.
“We shall engage the governor urgently to help deal with the current situation in this hospital which is worrying,” she said.
