Khalwale criticises Ruto over the closure of St Mary's Hospital in Mumias

St Mary's Mission Hospital in Mumias was unable to pay salaries, suppliers and procure drugs due to lack of funds. [File, Standard]

St Mary's Mission Level Four Hospital in Mumias has been closed for the last three weeks following failure by the Social Health Authority (SHA) to pay more than Sh40 million debt.

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale said the closure of the health facility has affected the people of Mumias and Kakamega who depend on it for treatment.

Dr Khalwale regretted that St Mary's hospital closed down because it was unable to pay salaries, suppliers and procure drugs among others.

The senator criticised President William Ruto, saying his administration's poor rollout of SHA had left many Kenyans suffering.

"It has been three weeks since the closure of St. Mary's Mission Hospital because President Ruto brought the SHA which is not working," he said.

"I told Mr President that I am a doctor and the introduction of SHA is a bad idea, but you took my criticism as disrespect," he added.

Speaking on Sunday in Mumias West constituency, Khalwale said it is his responsibility to tell the president the truth without blinking an eye or with fear.

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"It is my responsibility as a leader from this area to tell my friend and President Ruto the truth without fearing that our hospital has been closed due to the dues owed to it by SHA," said Khalwale.

Last week, Bishop Joseph Obanyi of the Kakamega and Vihiga Diocese accused the National Assembly and Senate of failing to fight for the health sector, saying that the government owes St Mary's Mission Hospital millions of shillings.

"Our leaders at the National Assembly and Senate have failed Kenyans, especially on health matters. For the last four months, we have not received money from SHA even after submitting our claims. It has now become difficult to pay workers and suppliers and buy drugs because for the last four months we have not received money," said Obanyi.

"It is not that we do not want to pay our workers and provide services. It is because the government has not paid us money. In the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), the mission hospitals under our diocese were owed Sh140 million by the government, which to date has not been settled. We are being told we must wait for the audit to be done, and this makes it difficult to run our facilities and offer health services," he added.

Last month, patients were stranded after workers at the hospital went on strike over four months' salary arrears.

The workers, who included doctors, nurses, clinical officers, and casual labourers protested over the non-remittance of SHA and NSSF contributions by the management.

"We have decided to go on strike because we have worked for four months without a salary, and when we ask, we are being told that SHA is not sending funds," said one of the nurses.

The nurse said efforts to have their grievances addressed by the hospital management were futile.

"We have since raised the issue with the Ministry of Labour, but still nothing is forthcoming, even after the ministry directed the hospital to implement our demands and what we agreed on. We are now calling upon the government to intervene and save us from slavery and the lives of Kenyans seeking health services."

Medics lamented about poor working conditions and lack of proper medical equipment and drugs in the facility.