Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has brought attention to a looming crisis at Pumwani Hospital that could jeopardize its ability to provide essential services.
During an unannounced visit to the facility on Friday, January 2, Sifuna discovered that certain wards had been closed due to a shortage of medical personnel. He further revealed that contracts for existing medical staff were set to expire in the coming week, posing a serious threat to expectant mothers and newborns at the hospital.
From the images shared by the ODM Secretary General, it was evident that the facility was also facing shortages of medical equipment and medications.
“There is an impending crisis at Pumwani Hospital. The facility has had to shut down several wards due to understaffing. Meanwhile, contracts of half the medical staff expire this coming week,” Sifuna stated. “The County Government must pull up its socks and promptly regularize their employment. For a facility that delivers hundreds of babies a day, we cannot afford the problem to persist even a day,” Sifuna urged the Nairobi County Government led by Governor Johnson Sakaja.
In addition, Sifuna appealed to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to expedite the investigation into a building that was burned down in February 2023. Sifuna emphasized that the completion of the probe would enable the county to resume using the building, serving the healthcare needs of hundreds of Nairobi residents.
“DCI, this building at Pumwani Maternity Hospital burned down in February of 2023. Management says although you took over the investigation into the cause, you have never rendered a report. We need that report concluded and the building handed back to the facility for repairs. The people of Nairobi need it. As things stand, no one can touch it because it is still a crime scene,” Sifuna emphasized.
