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Medical body challenged over hospital's conduct

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Published on Monday, 23 July 2007 01:31

The Kenya Medical Association has been asked to issue a statement on alleged unprofessional conduct at Kisii District Hospital. Medics at the hospital are accused of releasing patients from the hospital during a recent presidential tour to give President Moi an impression that the hospital was not congested.

Democratic Party's national secretary general Dr Charles Maranga said at least three people released by the hospital had died.

On Tuesday, South Mugirango MP, Enock Magara criticised the discharge saying the hospital's medical officer acted unprofessionally by decongesting the hospital "to give the President the impression that media reports on the crisis were wrong."

"It was unethical to discharge patients instead of congesting the hospital for Moi to assess the actual gravity of the situation," said Mr. Maranga.

He also criticised the President's remarks that former Finance Minister Simeon Nyachae be patient over the Presidency.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Minister Sam Ongeri has denied reports that malaria patients were discharged from the hospital as alleged.

In a statement, Mr. Ongeri said that contrary to the reports attributed to some leaders from the area, no patients were discharged from the institution.

He said there were more than 600 in-patients at the hospital when the President visited.

"This number far surpasses the institution's bed capacity of 240 and the records can verify this," Prof Ongeri said.

The President did not find only three to four patients sharing a bed, as reported, but also saw some patients lying on the floor, the minister said.

The President's visit, he said, was intended to facilitate the supply of medical facilities required to deal with the malaria epidemic.

"Any political connotations and innuendos are, therefore, totally misplaced," he said.

On Wednesday, a number of leaders said hundreds of malaria patients were prematurely discharged from the wards prior to the President's visit.
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Speaking in Parliament, Prof Ongeri accused some Kisii-based journalists of writing misleading reports that patients were dismissed to give President Moi the impression that the malaria epidemic had been brought under control.

He described the journalists as "amateurs and unprofessionals".

Prof Ongeri said President Moi's visit had raised awareness among donors and relevant institutions on the seriousness of the epidemic.