By Habil Onyango
For the past few days there have been allegations by a section of Kenyans over allocation of Social Health Authority (SHA) to ghost health facilities.
The recent one being Nyandiwa Dispensary where SHA sent funds worth Ksh 20M an allegation which has brought alot of heat on the health sector.
According to hospital officials located in Nyandiwa, in Gwassi North Ward, the SHA sent the funds to their bank account.
This contradicts reports suggesting that the money was sent to Nyandiwa Health Centre in West Kamagak, which does not exist.
Fredrick Owino, the medical officer in charge of Nyandiwa Level Four Hospital, confirmed that their facility received the funds. He explained that the hospital operates under the bank account name “Nyandiwa Dispensary.” The discrepancy arises from the hospital’s failure to update its original name after being elevated in status in 2022.
“We are aware of the confusion, but I want to clarify that we received the money. Our facility serves many patients who utilize SHA services, and we regularly receive funding from the agency,” Owino stated.
He added that the hospital management has outlined several development plans, which they intend to implement using resources from SHA and other agencies.
These plans include the construction of new fully integrated outpatient and inpatient units, which will allow for expanded services such as maternal and child health care.
“We can currently conduct minor surgeries, but we refer more complex cases, including cesarean sections, to other facilities. Our goal is to provide most of the essential services required by the community,” Owino said.
Zadoc Aloo, chairperson of the hospital’s board of management, emphasized that the hospital has both annual and five-year plans in place.
“The board has ensured that the staff work collaboratively, which enables us to achieve our goals. We are currently undertaking significant infrastructure development at the hospital,” Aloo explained.
One patient, Jane Sugu, was admitted on Friday after experiencing discomfort in her stomach and was later diagnosed with typhoid fever.
“I live near the beach and sometimes use water directly from the lake. It was that dirty water that made me sick,” Sugu shared.
Her condition has stabilized after receiving treatment, and she mentioned, “All my medical bills have been taken care of by SHA.”
