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Kenya: Nurse’s Death Exposes Homa Bay Covid Weaknesses

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5 years ago

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Revelations that the Homa Bay nurse who died in Kisii could not get services in her home county have exposed the lack of preparedness in some devolved units.

It has emerged that the family of the late Marianne Awuor, who was a nurse at Rachuonyo South Sub-County Hospital, had to pay penalties and remit money to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) for them to take care of her treatment.

Yesterday, members of the Senate Committee on Health sought answers on what led to the death of the medic, the stalemate between the county and the health care workers and how they spent part of the Sh5 billion Covid-19 grant given to the counties by the national government.

Specifically, committee members demanded from Governor Cyprian Awiti and Health executive Richard Muga, who appeared before it yesterday, details behind the circumstances that led to her death. They also demanded that the county provides a timeline on when it was going to pay and remit statutory deductions of health workers.

Prof Muga said Ms Awuor had requested to be transferred to Kisii Referral Hospital to see her personal gynaecologist.

“This was a self-referral … that is why she was transferred … she did not use the county ambulance because it was an emergency,” Prof Muga told the committee.

However, according to a letter written by the widower, Mr Stephen Okal Oketch, Ms Awuor was transferred when she developed breathing problems and there was no functional intensive care unit and specialist in Homa Bay County to attend to her.