Relinquish Margaret Kenyatta Hospital to KNH, Kariobangi residents urge county

Mama Margaret Kenyatta Children's Hospital situated in Kariobangi. [Samson Wire. Standard]

Residents of Kariobangi North Ward have urged the county government Nairobi to relinquish Margaret Kenyatta Hospital to the national government.

The residents now want Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) to take over the management of the facility that is currently run by the devolved unit.

During a public participation exercise over the weekend at Kariobangi North grounds, led by their area member of county assembly Joel Munuve, the residents cited mismanagement of the facility by the county.

He said the area electorates will formally file a petition to the relevant authorities, including the county assembly of Nairobi, for consideration,.

"We will release the first letter to the assembly. We do not want Margaret Kenyatta Hospital to be run by the county government, we want it run by the national government," he said.

He noted that the facility has failed to provide quality services for the residents, citing lack of medicine and understaffing in the facility consequently crippling access to quality healthcare in the area.

"Our mothers are not able to get essential treatment services at the facility,

Pamela Ouma, echoing the voices of most participants during the collection of views exercise, expressed dissatisfaction with the way the health facility is run.

"Management of Margaret hospital has proved to be an uphill task for the county. We are asking the governor to allow the facility go to the national government," she said.

The residents threatened to take to the streets should their grievances fail to be heard.

Mama Margaret Kenyatta was opened in 2022 by former president Uhuru Kenyatta with an aim to decongest Kenyatta National Referral Hospital.

It was on of the 24 health facilities done by the disbanded Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) but later handed over to the county government of Nairobi.