Trans Nzoia County health workers and Kenya Medical Training College KMTC, Kitale campus students attached to Kitale County Referral Hospital demonstrated in the streets of Kitale town on Tuesday over the lack of medical supplies.
Led by gynaecologist Godfrey Kasembeli, the medical workers said their services have been paralyzed due to the lack of basic items.
“We are very demoralized because we cannot attend to our clients. We only prescribe medication for them but it is very painful that they are forced to buy them outside the hospital. Most of the time we are forced to refer other cases to other hospitals because we don’t have essentials,” Kasembeli said.
The gynaecologist said they have been requesting for the supplies from the hospital management but they have not received them and called on the county government of Trans Nzoia to intervene.
“We came to present our petition to Governor Patrick Khaemba but we were denied access. We want to let him know that we don’t have all we need to serve our clients” he added.
The medics also questioned how the money meant for medical supplies was spent and called for restructuring of the health department.
Rachael Injinia, a paediatrician, said admitted children in the hospital are fed with an unbalanced diet endangering their lives.
“Sometimes, children are fed with ugali and white cabbages without soup. How do you expect such a sickly child to feed on such dry meals?” she asked.
The county is also accused of laxity in servicing ambulances.
“We are ashamed that we have caravans in place of ambulances in this county. In fact, two months ago, we lost one of us because the ambulances were not operational,” Kasembeli said.
