Medical services dilemma

Medical Services devolved!

The Medical sector in any nation is deemed as one of the most fundamental services that the Government ought to take care of and give first priority. As a basic need, each and every person is entitled to proper medication as well as quality treatment services.

With the coming of the New Constitution. The country took a different path and the first activities saw the medical activities devolved to the county levels. As a matter of fact, the Government could have messed up in setting its priorities on what to devolve or not but today, the move could have proved a success in some of the counties as well as relieve it of some of its duties.

However, the Medical sector has had to works under serious challenges since the devolving of the medical services. I take a look at some of the District hospitals that were referral centres but have now been reduced to deplorable medical centres due to poor management as well as low quality of services offered in there.

I took a visit to Homa-Bay Hospital in Homa-Bay County to seek medical attention. Thanks to the leadership of the able Governor H.E Cyprian Awiti.. the roads leading to the hospital are well tarmacked to allow for easy access to the medical facility.

At the gate I’m invited by security agents and the doctors are welcoming at the reception. The nurses and doctors attend to the many seated patients who are eagerly waiting and each is called in one by one. My turn come and I get in to get the medical attention. Though its kind of slow, I am sure of being served by the end of the day. Patients complain outside as the doctors walk away for lunch but sooner than late, they return and its work again.

I get attended to but something is a miss somewhere and I could guess this. There is no drugs in the hospital chemistry. As if that is not enough, at the Laboratory, the reagents are missing and even the machines are down. Surely, are services getting compromised?

At the hospital corridors, I meet doctors and medical practitioners walking hastily. A week later, I am back to the laboratory and the reagents aren’t there once again. I’m left to wonder what next!

Could it be that the hospital management is taking us for a ride? Or could it be that the reagents are not within the country? Or could it be that the hospital is not able to afford buying the reagents or repairing the machines? Or could it be there are no engineers in the county to work on the machine?