Sorry state at Thika Level 5 hospital as patients with broken limbs await treatment for months

By , K24 Digital
On Thu, 9 Feb, 2023 14:07 | 2 mins read
Thika Level 5 hospital on spot for 'preying' on patients with fractures
One of the accident patients at the Thika Level Five Hospital. PHOTO/KNA

Patients with broken limbs at Thika Level Five Hospital are calling for help after being held at the facility for months waiting for bone plates for fixing their broken limbs.

They said despite paying for the bone plates months ago, the facility was hesitant to explain how soon they will be attended to with reports claiming that the supplier had cut off the supply to the County due to Ksh9 million arrears.

A visit to the hospital revealed a sorry state of affairs with the patients hopelessly lying on the beds, some whose legs have started to bend while others only hanging at the support of bandages and mere plasters.

Sospeter Kamotho, who broke his leg three times and has a disjointed arm after he was involved in a motorcycle accident on January 16, this year has been on medication patiently waiting for the plates which he claims to have paid for through the hospital.

Kamotho said he spends Ksh500 daily to ease off the pain, using drugs bought from outside the hospital as it lacks drugs. 

Another patient, Peter Karanja, says since December last year when he was admitted to the facility, he was told that a shipment had been placed. He has been wondering how come it was yet to arrive.

The issue has prompted the intervention of health stakeholders led by their chairman Paul Jomo who termed the situation as shameful and unfortunate calling on Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi and other local leaders to address the issue with the urgency it deserves before the situation worsens.

Jomo further called on the national government to intervene to save the poor from more suffering.

Alice Njoki and Patron Githinji said accident victims should be allowed to purchase their own bone plates rather than paying for the plate from the hospitals.

They at the same time called on Wamatangi to give the patients inpatient charge waivers, saying some accrued huge fees at the wards, due to the inefficiency of the hospital administration.

The County Health CEC Elias Maina said he was newly appointed to the docket and promised to streamline health operations once he familiarizes himself with the job