The country’s health sector is facing a crisis due to underfunding, exacerbated by the lack of proper medical facilities and equipment in various hospitals.

A report tabled in the National Assembly has painted a grim picture of the nation’s health sector, with some of the hospitals on the verge of collapse due to lack of basic amenities such as stores to keep drugs, lack of cancer machines as well as inadequate beds.

The report of the departmental committee on Health on the State departments for Medical Services and Public Health, and professional standards further raises concerns that pending bills owed to hospitals. The chaotic transition from the defunct National Health Insurance (NHIF) to Social Health Authority (SHA) has worsened the situation in public health facilities as the hospital are forced to turn away reject patients.

The damning report comes hardly a month after President William Ruto announced that the government would release an additional Sh2.5 billion to clear debts owed to hospitals and service providers by the defunct NHIF.

The report for instance shows that NHIF and its successor SHA owe Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) Sh1.9 billion which has not been cleared for two years.

“These pending bills have not been cleared for two years. However, no clear roadmap regarding clearance of these pending bills has been agreed between the two SAGAs (Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies),” reads the report.

The report further raises concern that while the demand for cancer treatment at the hospital is very high, the referral hospital is equipped with just one Linear accelerator (LINAC). During the LINAC’s downtime, the referral hospital cannot offer radiotherapy services.

According to the report, the hospital has insufficient facilities to store medicines procured by the Ministry of Health while commodities procured for the Hospital by the Ministry of Health are not on need basis, meaning these medicaments are prone to expire.

The report also raises concern that infrastructure at the Spinal Injury hospital in Nairobi is dilapidated. The facility, the only one in the country that specialises in handling spinal injuries also has inadequate storage facilities.

“Estimated Sh15 billion is required to expand the hospital to a 1,000-bed capacity referral facility. A masterplan for this expansion is critical since the hospital is constrained by space,” the report states.

The hospital is also grappling with land issues as its land has been encroached on, making it impossible for the hospital to construct new wings and administrative wings.

“The hospital management therefore invited the departmental Committee on health in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands to establish the actual size of land rightfully owned by Spinal Injury hospital,” the reports records.

Another element ailing the hospital is its inadequate space to handle emergency cases, the committee notes.

The parliamentary committee has directed SHA to provide a status report in the next 60 days of the progress made in paying outstanding payments owed to KNH.

Medical research

In the case of Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH), the report says the hospital requires two more LINACs to reduce the turnaround time of the hospital from the current 8to 12 weeks it takes to offer cancer treatment.

On the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Council (KMPDC), the report says that the council has only 20 compliance officers and therefore there is no presence of compliance officers in all the 47 counties with most regions having only one officer.

According to the report, the council requires an additional Sh100 million to implement the Universal Health Coverage. The committee also states that the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) requires Sh360 million to construct a 48-bed facility for clinical trials. The money, the committee states, will largely go towards equipping and upgrading. Kemri further requires Sh10 billion to construct and equip the facility in Kirinyaga county that will be used to manufacture health products and Technologies (HPTs) and engage in research and development activities.