Matungu hospital accuses patients of stealing mosquito nets
Matungu MP Peter Nabulindo talks to a patient in the male ward at Matungu Sub-County Hospital last week.
Health officials at Matungu Sub-County Hospital in Kakamega County have accused patients of stealing mosquito nets from the wards.
The facility’s administration has decried rampant theft by discharged patients after patients at the facility complained about lack of mosquito nets in the wards.
"I have a pregnant patient who ought to sleep under a treated mosquito net but the hospital is not able to provide them,” lamented Ms Mwanaishi Awinja.
Malaria patients are worried about how they will contain the disease without mosquito nets.
“The hospital says we contracted malaria because we didn’t sleep under treated mosquito nets at home,” Ms Jennifer Nafula said during an impromptu tour of the facility by Matungu MP Peter Nabulindo.
The hospital’s administrator Hillary Keverenge claimed that mosquito nets in all the wards had been stolen by patients who had been discharged.
“The patients usually carry the mosquito nets with them when they are discharged," he said.
The hospital has recently come under fire over poor quality services. It was recently criticised for not feeding inpatients. It has only one oxygen cylinder and lacks essential medicines and key medical equipment.
Several buildings at the facility have since been condemned. Patients are forced to use dilapidated pit latrines, hence exposing them to infections.
Mr Nabulindo challenged the Ministry of Health (MoH) to supply mosquito nets to maternity wards in the facility.
“We are informed that distribution of mosquito nets has stopped yet these mothers need the nets to protect themselves and their babies," said MP.
"Patients take away the nets because they are told to sleep under nets at the hospital but when they get back home, they get exposed to mosquitoes. Let all people be supplied with the nets,” he said.
The MP promised to seek support from relevant organisations and government departments in sourcing mosquito nets for deserving households in the constituency.
