The latest report on the state of affairs in Kenyan public health facilities has revealed that the situation in the facilities can do better with dedicated improvements.
The report by Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) highlights the severe shortage of among others, beds in the facilities, resulting in indecent accommodation.
It indicates that 5,000 people share seven beds in hospitals. Similarly, there is a serious shortage of health practitioners, resulting in poor service delivery.
The statistics also indicate that each group of 10,000 Kenyans share 12 nurses, one doctor and 12 midwives in the 11,663 health facilities serving over 40 million Kenyans.
The situation has been worsened by exposure of the majority of Kenyans to infections. For instance, about 71 percent of Kenyans are living in the risk of contracting waterborne diseases.
"Only 29 per cent of Kenyans access basic sanitation facilities,” reads the report in part.
Amref Country Representative to Kenya Dr Githinji Gitahi has blamed the situation on the government's failure to pay close attention to issues to do with sanitation.
“The Kenyan government has not gotten it right because most of the funding is going to secondary and tertiary care,” he said during the recent ICPD25 in Nairobi.
The shortage of medics and hospital equipment could badly affect the government's Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) campaign, which swwksnto avail health to all Kenyans.