It’s a meal a day as shortage of food hits Busia hospital
Patients at Busia County Referral Hospital have been surviving on a meal a day for the last two weeks, due to food shortage.
Investigations done by People Daily established that most patients are brought food by their relatives, while others are forced to buy from outside the hospital.
“The hospital has only been offering us porridge without sugar for the last three days,” said a patient at the facility only identified as Elijah.
“We are forced to buy food from outside. Patients are really suffering,” he added.
Christopher Odhiambo said patients are fed on ugali and beans, adding that they are served with porridge at 11am.
He alleged that security guards at the hospital’s main gate must be bribed in order to allow relatives, bringing food from home for their patients, to enter.
A visitor, who identified herself as only Susan, and who had gone to see a relative admitted there, said: “The referral hospital is a mess, Governor Sospeter Ojaamong should address the situation,” said Susan.
Busia Deputy Governor Moses Mulomi confirmed the hospital is experiencing food shortage but the situation is being addressed.
Mulomi who is also the Health Executive, admitted that the problem came up as a result of the national government delaying to release funds to county governments on time. “It is true the hospital is experiencing food shortage, but we now have enough money to purchase food.”
He said the current situation at the hospital should not be blown out of proportion because the county government has put in place proper measures to solve the problem once and for all.
At the same time, the Chief Officer for Health Dr Isaac Omeri denied claims that in patients were starving, adding that plans have been made to acquire food from other suppliers.
Omeri said the hospital has in-patients ranging from 250 to 300, adding that measures have been taken to ensure that patients in other six public sub-county hospitals get adequate food.
