Dialysis Breakdown Hits Kerugoya Hospital
Only two still function, making the shortage critical. Hundreds of patients have been forced to cut back on treatment or go for treatment in private hospitals,
Governor Anne Waiguru reported to the scene to sort out the problems. She explained that the national government, through the National Equipment Support Programme. Photo/Courtesy
By Juliet Jerotich
There was a health crisis in Kirinyaga County after dialysis machines broke down at Kerugoya General Hospital. The hospital, which is the referral hospital in the region, had eight machines that served all the kidney patients in the county.
Six of them have collapsed within the past five months. Only two still function, making the shortage critical. Hundreds of patients have been forced to cut back on treatment or go for treatment in private hospitals, which is far more costly.
For Beatrice Mureithi, 76, the experience has been too much.
“By the time I got there, I was told the machines had broken down. That is where I started dialysis in Mount Kenya,” she added, her voice weary. She also said that four-hour treatments have now been cut to two or three. “It has not worked at all,” she complained.
Another patient, Amos Wanjau, told his story.
“Each morning I wake up bloated. My legs are open sores because the fluid isn’t being sucked out. I was only getting two hours of dialysis when I required four,” he told us.
Since the services at Kerugoya have collapsed, the patients have inundated private hospitals. They have had to sell off personal belongings in order to afford weekly dialysis.
“Someone has let us down in the medical profession,” Mureithi complained.
Families are also demanding urgent solutions. “We are asking that the machines be repaired or replaced, and that more be brought in because people are suffering,” said Lucy Wairimu, Mureithi’s daughter.
The crisis has now reached the political stage. Kirinyaga Senator criticized the lack of planning.
“I do not understand why an arrangement was not put in place to purchase new machines. Those who depend on these services are among the most vulnerable,” the senator stated.
Governor Anne Waiguru reported to the scene to sort out the problems. She explained that the national government, through the National Equipment Support Programme (NESP), is obligated to purchase dialysis machines. She promised residents that Kerugoya Hospital will be installed with new machines by Wednesday.
For Beatrice and Wanjau and other such patients, that promise cannot arrive soon enough.
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