CS Macharia should act on unwarranted deaths in both public and private hospitals

Just recently, a patient died after being left unattended for 18hours in an ambulance in one of Kenya’s leading health facilities. A month later, a pregnant mother suffered the same fate in Kakamega County after being left unattended for 14hours albeit this time she was admitted into the wards.

These are just a few cases that have been reported but there are numerous cases out there that go unreported. For instance, for any woman has been lucky enough to go to a hospital and deliver, can attest to the kind of trauma, abuses and insults they undergo at the hands of the nurses during clinics visits and delivery periods.

It is appalling that the Ministry of Health, despite promising to take action on the institutions which were found culpable last month, has done nothing so far. It is also sad the ministry only saw it fit to release funds meant for the health sector after cries from the public after the death in Kakamega Provincial Hospital had been reported.

Our health sector is struggling despite boasting of making strides in economics and infrastructure. It is a pale shadow of what we expect to have in the 21st century. Our leaders should resort to being more proactive rather than reactive. We expect to see in the coming future, health institutions being held responsible for the deaths of innocent Kenyans whose only crime was to visit these institutions in search of medical attention.

The Ministry of Health should come up with policies and legal framework to ensure such occurrences as death and patient-mishandling in our health facilities are dealt with.