• Speakers decried lack of key services and drugs, hospital chair booed defending it
• Area MP said it is 'just a building' as there are 'no services being rendered there'
Image: JOHN KAMAU
The quality of health services at Gatundu Level 5 Hospital took centre stage on Saturday during the burial of 'Firirinda' hitmaker Michael Mugo, alias Ndiki Munyonyi, in Githuya, Gatundu South.
The singer succumbed to cancer while being transferred to the Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital.
“It is disheartening that he was being transferred to another hospital because of an ICU, whereas there’s a 12-bed ICU at Gatundu Hospital that is just idle and not helping poor residents,” said philanthropist Karangu Muraya.
“All we want is quality and efficient health services for our people.”
Among leaders present were Public Service CS and former Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, current area MP Gabriel Kagombe and the Gatundu hospital board's chairman Njinji Murigi.
Speakers during the burial accused the management at Gatundu of lacking crucial services and drugs.
Muraya, who was helping Munyonyi while he was ill, complained of delays in getting served.
He said Munyoyi spent about four days at the hospital without receiving the necessary medical attention.
Munyonyi, who died at the age of 73, was also battling a heart disease and high blood pressure.
Karangu said Munyonyi was being transferred since the ICU facility at Gatundu Hospital was not operational.
Karangu urged stakeholders to wake up and streamline services at the hospital.
He cited the Kiambu county government and the hospital administration, led by the hospital board.
Njinji found himself on the receiving end after several leaders and mourners called him out.
They urged him to ensure all medical equipment installed at the facility is working and drugs are well stocked.
The chairman's attempts to explain that "work is being done" at the hospital, including completing the stalled Sh50 million morgue, fell on deaf ears as mourners shouted him down.
“The contractor is on the site and also we have imported various equipment that will enhance specialised healthcare provision to our people,” Njinji said amid boos.
MP Kagombe, while making his address, decried that patients are going for days without being attended to at the facility.
He said most of them are forced to seek key medical services in private facilities and other hospitals, such as Thika Level 5 Hospital.
Kagombe said besides a dormant ICU, it has a CT scan, X-ray machine, renal unit among other equipment that is not working.
He blamed this on management tussles of the facility between the national government and the Kiambu county government.
“Gatundu Hospital is just a building because there are no services being rendered there,” he said.
“Patients are being referred to private hospitals and other far-flung hospitals for services that can be provided at the facility. This must end and all responsible authorities must be held to account.”
The MP said that the management of the key hospital must be reverted to KUTRRH.
The KU hospital has been having a collaborative agreement with Gatundu through a deal between the Ministry of Health and the Kiambu government.
KUTRRH has been collaborating with the facility in the delivery of quality, efficiency and effectiveness in the provision of health care services.
The areas of collaboration have been the provision of health care service delivery and referral, infrastructural development and modernisation of equipment, sharing of human resources for health and sharing and development of health products and technology.
Kagombe accused the Kimani Wamatangi-led administration of being adamant about reverting the hospital's management to KUTRRH.
Moses Kuria said he will engage his Health counterpart Dr Susan Nakhumincha and write to President William Ruto.
He will seek to have the hospital upgraded to a Level 6 hospital and managed by the national government.
Kuria raised concern that the hospital was recently awarded a grant amounting to Sh700 million by the national government through KUTRRH, but the Kiambu county administration blocked the money.
He vowed to follow up on the matter and ensure that the money is released to improve services at the facility.
“The vision that we had together with former President Uhuru Kenyatta is to make the hospital a regional medical hub, offering specialised medical services to Kenyans and even to patients across the region,” Kuria said.
“I will make sure that this vision is realised by reverting the hospital’s administration and management to the national government.”
The CS called on Governor Wamatangi to allow and facilitate a smooth transition of the hospital's management, urging him to concentrate on enhancing services in other healthcare facilities across the county.
Meanwhile, the leaders promised to support Munyonyi's family, including supporting his son Patrick Kanyua's singing talent.
Munyonyi, a father of eight, is now survived by his wife Pauline Waithera and their six children. Two of his children have died.
Image: JOHN KAMAU
Image: JOHN KAMAU