Medic raises alarm over growing number of abandoned patients in Bungoma

Bungoma County medics have raised concern over the growing number of patients being abandoned in hospitals by relatives, police officers, and even Good Samaritans, leaving them stranded long after treatment.

Speaking on Tuesday at Webuye County Hospital, Medical Superintendent Dr David Wanikina said the practice has overstretched health facilities and created humanitarian and logistical challenges.

He urged the county government to urgently develop a policy framework to deal with the crisis.

“We are seeing a situation where patients are brought in from as far as Kakamega, Trans Nzoia and even Busia counties. They are treated successfully, but once stable, they have nowhere to go. Some are mentally ill, others are destitute, and unfortunately, relatives abandon them at the hospital gates. This is not sustainable,” Dr Wanikina said.

He regretted that once such patients are discharged, they remain in wards for weeks or even months because no one claims responsibility for their welfare.

In some cases, medical staff are forced to play caretaker role, diverting attention and resources from other patients.

“If it’s a criminal, the police take them. But most cases involve vulnerable individuals, including street families, who simply refuse to leave the hospital,” he said.

The outcry comes barely a week after residents of claimed that Webuye County Hospital dumped a patient at Dina in the town.

Bungoma East police officers and DCI detectives have since launched investigations into the incident.

Dr Wanikina appealed to Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), led by Health Committee Chair George Makari (Musikoma Ward), to come up with legislation that would provide guidelines on how abandoned patients should be handled.

“Health is a devolved function. It is therefore the responsibility of our county leaders to put in place a legal and policy framework that safeguards both patients and health facilities,” he said.

Residents of Webuye, led by community leader Isaac Wanyonyi, echoed the medic’s sentiments and urged the MCAs to urgently table the matter before the county assembly.

Mr Wanyonyi said the county government should partner with the national government, civil society, and faith-based organisations to create safe shelters for vulnerable patients.

At Webuye County Hospital alone, dozens of patients are reportedly stuck in wards long after completing treatment. Administrators say the situation reduces bed capacity, drives up costs, and compromises service delivery.

 “A ward designed to hold 20 patients ends up hosting 30 or more not because of emergencies, but because discharged patients have nowhere else to go. It is a ticking time bomb,” a nurse who requested anonymity said.

Health workers further pointed to the shortage of rehabilitation centers and mental health facilities as a major contributor to the problem.

Families struggling to cope with mentally ill relatives often abandon them at hospitals.

Doctors now want the Bungoma County Government to establish a social welfare fund for abandoned patients, expand community health programmes, and strengthen collaboration with the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection.

“This is not just a medical issue it is social, economic, and humanitarian. We need a holistic approach that protects human dignity while allowing hospitals to operate effectively,” Dr. Wanikina emphasized.