How closure of War memorial hospital has affected Nakuru's health sector
Police officers and county askaris at Nakuru war memorial man the gate on January 23, 2024.
The War Memorial Hospital has been at the centre of conversations in Nakuru County for the better part of two months, consequently causing an outcry from various parties.
But what does the closure of the hospital mean for Nakuru’s health sector?
Dr Simon Mwangi, one of the directors of the hospital holds the belief that the services offered in the facility and the professionalism of the staff definitely helped set the hospital apart from other health facilities in the county.
Dr. Simon Mwangi .
“Another thing that made the facility different is the fact that the hospital is equipped with 10 dialysis machines that offered great help to those ailing from kidney failure,” he said.
Mtaa Wangu found out that the Nakuru Teaching and Referral Hospital (PGH) has 17 functioning and fully operational dialysis machines.
Being a referral hospital, the facility serves a high number of patients from Nakuru county and the eight neighbouring counties.
According to an article by the Daily Nation, as of 2021 the total number of patients registered for dialysis at the then Nakuru Level Six Hospital were 89 with the total number of dialysis sessions being 28,257.
On the other hand, Dr. Mwangi says the number of patients that were undergoing dialysis at War Memorial were 50.
It goes without saying that these 50 kidney patients will now be forced to depend on the dialysis machines at PGH or find other alternatives as the fate of the hospital remains unknown.
Another thing that came up in matters services was the outcry from female social media users who noted that War memorial hospital offered stellar maternity services.
Female residents in The Voice Nakuru City and Nakuru City Analysts WhatsApp groups have been seen to express their displeasure and worry at the closure of the facility, while recounting their experiences at War memorial’s maternity section.
The members did not seem impressed that they would now be forced to seek these services in Margaret Kenyatta and Bondeni maternity, which are public facilities.
However, during an interview with the media, the County Secretary Dr Samuel Mwaura said the county has the capacity to take over patients from War Memorial.
“We will provide good and better services to patients,” said Mwaura.
It should be noted that the war memorial saga comes at a time where Mediheal hospital shut down. This was a popular facility in Nakuru; one that was seen as an affordable option for patients in the county.
Last week, the Law Society of Kenya through the Chairman Rift Valley Region, Aston Muchela came out to express their displeasure at the Nakuru County administration for not complying with the court orders issued as pertaining to the War Memorial Hospital.
The events surrounding the Nakuru War Memorial Hospital dispute have also gotten the attention of the Judicial Service Commission, which has raised its concerns over the continued disobedience of court orders.
Chief Justice Martha Koome noted that the commission is disturbed by the invasion of the hospital, despite court orders to restore order.