Hospitals seek bigger budget as patient numbers shoot up

An outpatient unit under construction at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital, in Nakuru. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

Beatrice Wanja travels from Naivasha to accompany her husband for dialysis at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital (PGH).

However, the two-hour journey is tedious for the 45-year-old patient, Kimani Njuguna, who walks with difficulty.

Though Naivasha County Referral Hospital (NCRH) has a Renal Unit, the patient is forced to travel 40km away as he requires life saving care. “Dialysis takes a toil on my husband, at times he faints and gasps for air. He has to be monitored to guarantee his safety,” says Wanja.

Dr Angeline Ithondeka says NCRH does not have a kidney specialist and is overstretched.

“Demand for dialysis at the facility is high, compared to its capacity. We too offer services to dialysis initiated patients due to lack of specialist doctors,” she says.

Njuguna is not the only patient struggling to seek quality healthcare amid promises of the government’s Universal Health Care (UHC).

The level five facility with a capacity of 800 in-patients serving about 2,000 patients is congested in all its units.

“Congestion in our wards is as a result of the high number of referrals. The patients can however not be sent away,” says Dr Joseph Mburu.

Amid anxiety of locals seeking healthcare, the Health Department has maintained that it requires an increased budget allocation to offer affordable quality services.

The health services sector report for Medium Term Expenditure Framework states the department was allocated Sh6,052,595,303 under 2020/21 budget, and is currently seeking Sh7,242,619,100.

County Chief Officer of Medical Service Solomon Sirma says the lion's share of the allocation will be used to upgrade hospitals.

Increase budget

“We are currently reporting high referrals to major hospitals because lower facilities are not adequately equipped. Such can only be attained if we increase budget allocation for an upgrade,” says Dr Sirma.

In the past three years, the Health Department has been enjoying the lion’s share of county budget, with an allocation of 34.3 per cent.

However, 57 per cent of the funding is spent on personnel emolument.

According to county health accounts for 2015/2016, the county’s total health expenditure was Sh7.8 billion and per capita expenditure Sh4,048.

Among facilities to be upgraded include Molo, Elburgon, Gilgil, Naivasha Olenguruone, Elburgon, Githioro Dispensary, Njoro, Bahati and the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital.

In Naivasha, an Intensive Care Unit and a High Dependency Unit will be established.

“Cluster of level five requires a facility to have a theatre, ICU, HDU, Renal Unit among other specialised healthcare units.

"These services will help us reach a bigger population,” says Dr Sirma.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union South Rift General Secretary Davji Attelah has welcomed the idea of seeking increased budgetary allocation.

“Upgrading of facilities should come alongside staffing. It loses meaning if we equip hospitals, but fail to have human resource for diagnosis and treatment of patients,” says Atellah.