The Kisumu County government has come out to defend itself over the sorry state of the Kisumu County Refferal Hospital also known as the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Concerns have been raised about the sorry state of the health institution, after details emerged that it is yet to recover from a terrible picture that was given out a few months ago.
It now emerges that patients have been forced to share beds and others sleep on the floor in the Western Kenya’s biggest hospital popularly known as ‘Russia’ by locals.
But the office of area Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o now says that the county has opted for the same instead of turning patients back, adding that the patients are also quite okay with the situation.
“They would rather share beds and mattresses on the floor and have access to treatment at the facility,” Director of Communications in Nyong’o’s office Aloice Ager was quoted by the Standard.
Non-governmental organizations have rubbished the county’s allegations that the situation is to blame on the national government over delayed release of funds for the expansion of the facility.
Led by Kisumu Advocacy and Accountability Forum, they have decried the terrible state in the hospital which has seen even the gynecological ward exceed its capacity, forcing patients to share beds.
“There is a need to expand the ward so that patients are treated in a conducive environment to foster the healing process,” Ms Mariam Abdalla from the organization is quoted.