Gatwe residents want dispensary reinstated to health center

Kerugoya,

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

KNA by Mutai Kipngetich

Residents of Gatwe in Mutira Ward, Kirinyaga Central want Gatwe dispensary reinstated to Gatwe Health Center status.

 The residents who protested against the decision said the health facility that offer services to over 5000 locals was downgraded to dispensary on what the department of health said rationalization of human resource.

David Mwaniki, a resident said devolution was meant to bring services closer to people but demoting some facilities is doing the opposite. He said the residents were informed that the health center was downgraded due to lack of maternity services.

“They are demoting this due to lack of maternity services, we ask ourselves was it meant to offer maternity services only?”, he paused.

He argued that no public participation was done to inform the users about the process.

Geoffrey Macharia, another resident, said the facility is offering services to many people and now downgrading it means it will not be operational 24 hours. He noted that there is no way the government is launching Community Health Promoters while closing local hospitals urging the county government to reverse the decision.

“We gather here today to express our concerns on downgrading a facility that serves many residents of Gatwe. Health officers are willing to work but seems government is don

In response, Kirinyaga County Executive Officer (CEC) for Health, George Karoki said the demand for human resources has called for rationalization of existing staff. He noted the department has made a request to the governor to hire more health staff to cater for rural facilities.

“The demand of staff has made rationalization a must. We have tabled a request to governor for more staff to cater for the rural facilities and the new ones” CEC said

Karoki said the case of Gatwe is that it does not meet the threshold hence being a health center is a waste of human resource. He added, the health center has a maternity making it operate 24 hours. According to Karoki Gatwe can only deliver 4 babies per month and have 6 nurses compared to Kerugoya Hospital with 19 nurses and deliver over 280 babies in same period making it unfair to other staff. He said they have advised the people of Gatwe to utilize the nearest facility in Kagumo.

“Health center has maternity and can offer 24 hour services, Gatwe was not meeting threshold and we feel we were wasting important human resource. If you compare Gatwe with 6 nurses can deliver 4 babies a month to Kerugoya Hospital delivering over 280 babies a month with 19 nurses, then we are unfair to some of our staff. We have advised them to visit Kagumo which is the nearest facility,” Karoki added.

He reiterated that rationalization of staff is the norm in the department and it is not affecting Gatwe only.

Courtesy; KNA