By Okong’o Oduya
Busia County, Kenya: Patients at Busia Referral Hospital have been recently hit by a crisis of food shortage at the hospital. They have been forced to look for alternative ways to et food. This has left many patients desperate.
Addressing the press patients admitted that for the last two weeks they are forced to buy food outside the hospital adding that the hospital has no capacity to provide them food.
They revealed that the only food on the hospital’s menu currently is Sukuma wiki ( kales ) and Ugali which is not properly cooked.
Most of them who sought anonymity noted that they are forced to depend on relatives and other well-wishers to bring them food.
A patient who did not want his name revealed lamented“It is two weeks now we don’t get enough food in this hospital or if you are lucky you will be provided with a few spoons of cabbage mixed with rice. If we need good food we have to get it from outside, either we buy or we get from our relatives, if you don’t have someone to help you, then you are in problems.:
They further blamed security personnel at the referral gate for blocking their relatives to bring them food in the morning and lunchtime, accusing them of asking bribes before they can be allowed to get in the hospital.
“At the gate they won’t allow you pass. They will keep you waiting for a long time yet you are carrying breakfast or lunch. They ask you what you have if you give them something small they allow you in, if you don’t have anything then your patient will suffer” Another patient added.
“My sick father is here and he requires blood, I need to go past the gate to contribute blood, I have been barred from going through yet my father is required in theater,”
However, the committee executive member in the department of health Moses Mulomi, blamed the national government for failing to release the money on time to pay the suppliers.
According to him, the national government delayed in releasing the money making it hard for them as a county government to meet the requirements of its people.
He urged the patients not to worry saying the current situation facing the hospital is temporary and it will be addressed as soon as possible.
Cases of poor service delivery at many of Kenya’s County Hospitals have become common. Many at times they blame the national government for their woes. But, reports reveal that many of these counties do not give the health sector priority while allocating funds.
