A motion expected to be tabled and debated at the County Assembly seeking to move coffin makers from undertaking their businesses next to hospitals in Kisumu has elicited heated debate.
The motion is to be tabled next week by Nyalenda A Ward MCA Jacktone Onunga who claims the presence of coffins near the hospitals was traumatising the patients who on many occasions are rushed to the health facilities on vehicles, ambulances or motorcycles.
If the motion is approved, those in the coffin businesses will have to move to different locations away from hospitals such as Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital where most of them are located.
“Many people have complained over the presence of the coffins next to hospitals, moving them will restore confidence in most patients because most of the people who are taken to hospital, when they see the coffins, they feel half dead,” said Onunga.
Edward Ochieng, who has been involved in the business for close to 15 years said it is unimaginable that their business was ‘killing’ patients in hospitals, claiming the concern has been raised many times by different people including Parliament.
“Our presence cannot lead to the death of patients, at what point does a critically ill person raise his or her head to look at coffins?”posed Ochieng.