Kisii County Governor Simba Arati has sacked two senior mortuary attendants at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital facility over alleged sabotage, and castigated his opponents for being behind the woes that have led to switching off coolants and theft of formalin that embalms bodies.
Speaking at the facility this morning, Arati also alleged that he had just nipped in the bud plans to switch off the oxygen plant and electricity in what could be detrimental to 50 infants admitted at the hospital.
Noting that all the plans were meant to paint negatively his image so that he can lose credibility with the residents, Arati said he will not relent in ensuring good services to the people.
Arati expressed concern over negligence by the staff members whom he accused of placing up to three bodies in a cube meant for one, and failing to embalm the corpses hence leading to foul smell.
He also accused them of demanding payment from the bereaved in order to assist them at the facility which currently hosts 200 bodies instead of 70 which is its capacity.
“We have no business with such people, let them go home immediately before they switch off again,” he said.
Arati pledged to allocate sh. 2million to revamp the old mortuary so that all police cases and unclaimed bodies can be preserved there to relieve the new one which is currently being used.
He brought in new staff and ordered them to ensure all biomedical machines in the facility were operating although no more bodies will be received until the anomaly is corrected.
The governor waived all costs for the bereaved families who had failed to collect bodies of their loved ones for lack of funds.
The new KTRH CEO Dr. Oimeke Marita said they had taken charge and services at the facility which serves neighboring counties as a referral and research will be back soon.
He decried the state of mortuary saying it has raised uproar from residents, but called it sabotage meant to make governor look incompetent.
Recently, another attendant was sacked after he was caught stealing body bags and formalin at the facility.
By Martin Ndichu and Jefferson volka
