A section of Kiambu leaders and residents have accused the county government of neglecting the health sector plunging health facilities across the region into crisis.
Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a and her Juja counterpart George Koimburi pointed an accusing finger to Governor Kimani Wamatangi claiming that his administration has turned a blind eye to the county’s deteriorating health sector.
Their sentiments came following a series of incidences involving major health facilities in the county including detention of nursing mothers over unpaid bills and now rundown morgue services at Gatundu Level 5 Hospital mortuary.
A family in Gatundu South on Tuesday claimed that they found the body of their kin mauled by what is suspected to be rodents.
The lawmakers who spoke at an empowerment forum at Juja Farm area in Juja constituency on Tuesday said that Wamatangi must answer serious questions on the health crisis in the county noting that health services are already in ICU across all health facilities in the region.
“This is too much now. Kiambu residents are cont accessing quality health services in our hospitals and worse now even in death, their dignity is being defiled. This must come to an end and the governor must carry his cross and restore normalcy in our health facilities,”Ng’ang’a said.
The lawmaker said that the county administration must stop hiding behind PR stunts and address the real challenges facing the county’s healthcare system. She said that residents deserve functional hospitals, adequate medical supplies and services that uphold human dignity.
“PR politics must end and accountability, action and better healthcare must be prioritised. The people of Kiambu deserve answers, not excuses. The county leadership must put public resources meant for healthcare into the right use rather than diverting the money to chicks and piglets,” the MP said.
Ng’ang’a at the same time called on the county administration to open health facilities that have been built so that they can benefit Kiambu residents. She pointed out that most projects were initiated by the former Governors including William Kabogo, Ferdinand Waititu and James Nyoro adding that most of them have remained under lock and key at the expense of suffering Kiambu residents.
“Streamlining healthcare is not just building structures but ensuring that the facilities are sufficiently staffed, stocked with adequate medical and non-medical supplies and well run for the benefit of residents. Why wait until campaign time to open the facilities while residents are still suffering?” she poised.
Juja MP George Koimburi accused Wamatangi of undermining healthcare in the county citing his reluctance to operationalize Gachororo level 4 hospital in Juja, leaving residents to seek crucial services in private facilities and other far-flung hospitals.
“Wamatangi has failed to prioritize key projects that are of great importance to Kiambu people. He has been bribing residents with fertilizer, chicks and piglets while overlooking the health docket. The county has been receiving billions of money in allocation from the National Government and yet cannot streamline health services,” Koimburi said.
A section of residents have also called out the county administration for running down the health sector. Locals in Gatundu town held protests on Wednesday morning accusing the county government of failing to enhance access to quality healthcare.
“For instance, the old morgue is in dire state. They are no proper refrigerators and bodies are being kept on the floor. It’s a sad situation and yet the county administration is parading photos of the new facility which has not been in use for over two years after its completion. Wamatangi should stop deceiving us,” said resident Andrew Kamau.
Another resident who requested anonymity said, “Wamatangi is paying millions of money to certain media houses and bloggers to sanitizer what we can all witness. We urge him to be accountable and take responsibility of the crisis. He has all resources he needs, what excuse can he give?”
The County administration has constantly denied any wrong doing in the failing county health sector. Instead, the administration has said that it has made major strides in improving the health sector including construction of new health facilities, stocking medical supplies and hiring new health workers.
