By Mary Mwendwa
Nairobi, Kenya: Theresa Njeri, a middle-aged woman from Murang’a County stands stranded in the corridors of a Nairobi-based specialized skin clinic known as Special Treatment Center (STC) Casino. She tightly holds her 6 months old baby wrapped with a shawl on her back.
The baby is crying as Njeri calmly tries to soothe her. Skin rashes with pus are scattered on the baby’s face. The baby tries to scratch her face. She yells in pain. Her mother removes a handkerchief from a bag and tries to wipe off some of the pus from her baby’s face. Njeri has come to the clinic to seek treatment for the skin condition of her baby.
A few patients, with various skin conditions, pensively sit on brown wooden benches. Some are making phone calls while others look at the security officer dressed in a yellow and green uniform from the County government. They hope that she will help them get access to dermatologists within the facility.
Upon my inquiry about Njeri’s baby after posing as a patient. She first looks scared as her eyes dart between the security lady while she observes me to see if she can trust me, deep in thought. With time she relaxes and tells me that she was referred to the hospital by a doctor from Murang’a.
“My baby started having so many rashes that never seemed to go away even after visiting several private and public clinics in Muranga. The rashes itch so much until I get no sleep as the baby cries throughout, even in the night,” Njeri explains.
“I have never been to Nairobi. I woke up early and came here. Sadly I am being told that the doctors are on strike.”Njeri points at the security lady. “ She told me to wait here. She will help me get a private doctor. I am so frustrated because I do not have money to spend at a private clinic. I was, told that this is a government facility and therefore children under five are treated for free.” Njeri sighs in frustration.
Njeri is waiting to get a referral to a private clinic just located near the STC Casino clinic, which is about a 7 minutes walk. She tells me that she has been waiting for around 30 minutes. The security lady is busy on the phone trying to get a hold of someone who will come and lead Njeri to the clinic. STC Casino is well famed for being a specialist clinic for skin ailments. Hospitals across the country are known to send patients with cases they can’t handle to be attended to.
Next to Njeri is a man who looks in his late 50s. He joins our conversation and also confides that he too is waiting to be taken to another clinic as doctors are on strike. “ I cannot really tell whether the doctors are on strike, I came here last month and I was told the same thing, it seems there is something fishy going on in this facility. I have a stubborn skin condition that needs a professional dermatologist, I do not know whether the one she wants to refer me to if they are professional,” he wonders aloud.
The security officer is very keen on anyone who enters the facility. She quickly greets you and inquires in a firm husky voice about your mission. She shows patients where to sit while she makes phone calls. Once in a while, she leaves briefly to go to other offices within the facility.
The place is calm and silent.
The STC Casino clinic is tucked in the middle of the crowded and shabby streets of Nairobi city famously known as River road on Latema Road. Here, all types of businesses going on. There is daylight prostitution, drug peddling, small business enterprises, and bus stations for long distances road travel to countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, (DR Congo) Kampala, and Rwanda, among other businesses.
It is extremely difficult for journalists to get access to interviews and take photos at any of the County’s facilities. There is a protocol that has to be followed and in many cases, an investigative story would rarely be allowed. Any journalist who wants to do any story at a health facility in Nairobi has to go through the Nairobi County Health offices based at City Hall. There, you book an appointment or write a letter explaining your mission accompanied by an official stamp.
In this case, I chose to uncover the truth of the matter by posing as a patient so as to verify the public complaints from several patients who had gone to seek treatment at the STC casino that had been brought to my attention. Many had raised their concerns about the lack of service delivery at the clinic. Many confirm that every time they visit, they are told doctors are on strike and are referred by security people to other clinics nearby.
STC casino is owned and managed by the Government of Kenya. When health functions were devolved it was placed under the County Government of Nairobi. Recently, Nairobi County was taken over by the National government. The clinic is listed among government facilities in Nairobi; https://www.kenyapharmtech.com/government-hospitals-nairobi/.
Meanwhile, the lady at the security desk looks at all of us waiting at the reception and says in Swahili- “Kuna mtu anakuja kuwasaidia , msilijali daktari wako mgomo.” Someone is coming to sort you out, do not worry, doctors here are on strike. She turns to me and asks if I have been helped. I say no. She tells me to also wait as doctors are on strike therefore she will get someone to help us get treated. At the time we were at the clinic, there was no official communication from Nairobi County that doctors were on strike, nor a media alert on the same.
After waiting for close to 45 minutes, a short plump lady in a long tight dress with a long brown shiny wig walks in. She wipes her sweating face with a handkerchief and quickly sits next to the security lady. They converse in low tones as they look in our direction. The security lady calls out to us and says. “ Huyu ndio daktari, atawasaidia. Endeni na yeye kwa hospitali yake.” “This is the doctor who will help you. Please follow her to the hospital.” They smile at each other as the security lady mentions to the doctor to call later.
The lady, who calls herself Dr. Mumbi, leads the way through the crowded and busy Latema road. This road has a beehive of activities, hawkers, buses, motorbikes, and other small businesses like mobile phone shops. We had to squeeze ourselves through hawkers shouting loud as they sold their goods. Hooting vehicles and motorbikes blocked our way. She walks very fast and we have to increase our pace as we follow her footsteps not to lose her.
I enter with my colleague first as the other patients wait by the bench. I choose to speak out for my “sister” and say she has a skin problem on her face. Before I can go any further Dr. Mumbi informs us that the consultation fee is Ksh 1000 and she will mix some drugs in a form that would be applied on the face. This will come at an extra fee. At this point, we inform her that we do not have money for consultation, and she tells us it is ok we can bring it next time we come for an appointment. She does not even bother to examine the face of the patient. This drug will also cost a separate amount. We asked for her contact and “promised” to come back the following day.
A check on the list of approved medical providers in Kenya does not feature the name of Dr. Mumbi Skin clinic, https://cic.co.ke/docs/CIC-Approved-Panel_of-Medical-Service-Providers.pdf. Similarly, the alleged dermatologist does not feature in the list of best dermatologists in Kenya- https://www.kenyapharmtech.com/list-dermatologists-kenya/. This leaves many questions unanswered on how the clinic operates without the government and other professional accrediting organizations’ knowledge.
Efforts to reach Nairobi County’s County Executive Committee (CEC) member for health at the time of this investigation, Veska Kingongo, to give information concerning the corruption allegations did not bear fruit. As of the time this article was published a new CEC has been appointed and is still to assume office.
A keen look at the national budget allocation in the financial year 2017/18, Kenya’s government allocated around Ksh 60.9 billion to health care services compared to 2016/17 where Ksh 60.3 billion was allocated. The amount was then projected to increase in the years 2018/19 and 2019/20 respectively.
According to Nairobi County Fiscal Strategy Paper 2019, the approved budget for the financial year 2017/18 was Ksh 35.5 B, which was then revised to Ksh. 33.4 B. The 2019/20 budget saw an increase to Ksh 33.9 B respectively.
It is appalling that a clinic that is supposed to be serving many people across the Country with special skin ailments with government support in a sector that is receiving so much money is not happening.
The collusion of County staff such as guards with quack doctors leads to the exploitation of many innocent Kenyans such as Njeri who are forced to pay for a service that is either free for children or subsidized. It is yet to be established if any of the treatments provided outside the STC Clinic by the quacks have helped alleviate the suffering of the patients who sought their help.
