The Murang’a County Women Representative, Sabina Chege has appealed to county governments to consider giving support to mission hospitals operating within their areas jurisdiction.
Chege noted that mission hospitals usually get big number of patients and sometimes they are overwhelmed, thus the need for devolved units to provide them with medical personnel and drugs.
She observed that majority of church-based health facilities charge minimal fees to patients leaving the hospitals with big challenge of meeting the cost of operations.
The County governments should consider supporting mission hospitals by deploying medical practitioners at the facilities to assist in treating the big number of patients.
The county MP was speaking at Kiriaini Mission Hospital at Mathioya Sub County in Murang’a on Friday, where her office donated drugs worth Sh.250, 000 for Intensive Care Unit.
“County governments may consider deploying some medical officers to mission hospitals to assist in giving services as the facilities usually receive big number of patients like public hospitals,” reiterated Chege.
By giving mission hospitals any form of support, the Woman Representative said the facilities will be in a position to offer treatment at cheaper prices.
Chege, who is also the chairperson of Parliamentary Committee on health lauded churches which have continued to compliment government’s function of providing health care.
She noted that for a long time, mission hospitals have been providing quality and cheap health care, thus making the facilities to be crowded most of times.
The drugs donated to the hospitals will help in offering treatment to patients from poor families, who are unable to pay their medical bills, she noted.
“The drugs my office has donated to this hospital will lessen the pain for patients especially those in intensive care unit and who cannot foot the huge bills,” she added.
The Hospital Administrator, Charles Okemwa lauded the office of the women representative for the support saying the drugs will go long way in supporting needy cases.
He said as a facility, they are overwhelmed by the huge number of patients, including those who are referred to the hospital from other facilities saying more medical supplies are required for them to continue catering for the patients.
Okemwa said some patients are unable to meet their treatment costs, saying through such support they have been able to release many patients who could not meet their bills go home.
“In this hospital we attend to more than 250 patients per day and we have a bed capacity of more than 150. We appeal to well-wishers to support us in any way they can so that we can continue charging reasonable costs to our patients,” he added.
Meanwhile, Chege said her office will partner with various health stakeholders and roll out sensitization forums to help residents live in a manner that can minimize spread of diseases.
“Preventive health is very crucial as it is cheaper than buying machines for treating patients,” she observed.
By Bernard Munyao
