Mombasa senator demands action to salvage county’s ailing health sector
Senator Mohamed emphasised that healthcare is a fundamental right and demanded that the county government prioritise its improvement,
Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki has raised concerns over the deteriorating state of healthcare in the county, calling on the Senate Health Committee to intervene and hold the county government accountable.
He cited a critical shortage of medical personnel, poor hospital infrastructure, and a lack of essential medical equipment as major issues affecting healthcare delivery.
Mohamed expressed disappointment that despite Mombasa being the country’s second-largest city and home to key infrastructure such as the port of Mombasa and Moi International Airport, healthcare services remain in a deplorable state.
“I am requesting a statement from the Senate Health Committee regarding the decline of healthcare services in Mombasa County,” he said, urging the committee to investigate the crisis.
He lamented that while healthcare is a devolved function, services have significantly declined under the current county administration, reversing the progress made by the previous government.
“Healthcare is a crucial service, and it was greatly improved in the first term of the previous administration. It is unfortunate that within just two years under the current government, services have worsened compared to how they were before,” Mohamed stated.
The senator questioned why the county government has failed to allocate sufficient funds to improve health services, leaving many hospitals and clinics struggling with inadequate resources.
He pointed out that essential facilities such as Tudor Hospital, Maweni and Ziwa la Ng’ombe Clinic are in dire condition, with leaking roofs, flooding during rains, and limited access to clean water.
Citing a recent incident where a patient was injured at Tudor Hospital while waiting for treatment, Mohamed said such occurrences highlight the urgent need for infrastructural improvements.
He further criticised the county’s failure to procure modern medical equipment, noting that Mombasa has only one functional MRI machine at the Coast General Hospital, which frequently breaks down due to high demand.
He said the county also has only four operational ambulances serving its 30 wards across six sub-counties, a number he described as grossly insufficient.
“The entire county of Mombasa has only one MRI machine at Coast General Hospital, and this machine frequently breaks down because it has a low capacity and serves too many people at the same time,” he said.
Mohamed also raised concerns over the county government’s decision to withhold facility improvement funds from health centres, preventing them from using internally generated revenue to upgrade services.
He also questioned why the county had banned hospitals from hiring temporary staff despite a severe shortage of doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, and security personnel.
“The Senate Health Committee should list the steps taken by the Mombasa County government to address the worsening healthcare situation, considering the shortage of doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, and security officers in hospitals,” Mohamed stated.
He challenged the committee to scrutinise the reasons behind the decline in healthcare services and recommend immediate corrective measures.
He also called for an investigation into why two hospitals, one in Likoni and Marimani in Kisauni, remain non-operational despite being completed in 2022.
“The committee should investigate the cause of the healthcare decline and take action to ensure that residents receive the services they deserve. They should also examine why hospitals in Likoni and Marimani in Kisauni, which were completed in 2022, have not yet been put into use,” he urged.
The senator emphasised that healthcare is a fundamental right and demanded that the county government prioritise its improvement, warning that continued neglect could have severe consequences for residents.
The Senate Health Committee is expected to deliberate on Mohamed’s concerns in the coming weeks.
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