Kilifi residents turn to witchdoctors for lack of hospitals
The stalled Muyuni dispensary in Bamba Ward, Ganze in Kilifi County whose construction started in 2014.
In the middle of a thicket in Muyuni village in the remote parts of Bamba ward, Ganze, stands a single, incomplete permanent building with four rooms.
It represents what was supposed to be the Muyuni dispensary.
A family had donated the land for the health centre that would have served the village and its surroundings, and it pains them to see it unfinished.
The family has now resolved to take back the three acres and convert the rooms into mnazi-selling dens so as to earn money for their basic needs.
They said they had pushed the county government to complete the building to no avail.
Speaking to Nation.Africa at the site, Jackson Katana said the family donated the land to save residents from travelling long distances to seek treatment.
“It saddens me that the building has not been completed since 2014 and we are still suffering to get medication. It costs us over Sh1,000 to travel to the Bamba or Ganze health centres, the nearest hospitals,” he said.
Travel long distances
He said that it was unfortunate that even with devolution, they still travel long distances to get treatment when they fall sick.
“From Muyuni to Bamba is a long distance for a pregnant mother and a sick child,” he said.
Another family member, John Karisa, said elders want to take back the land and use the building to sell coconut brew.
“We donated the land as a family, and the elderly want it back to use it to sell mnazi because they do not see its benefits as it stands,” he said.
Mr Karisa said staff quarters for doctors had also been planned for the land and the family had wished to see residents get health services closer to home.
Muyuni village elder Katana Ngumbao said they had waited over six years for the dispensary to be completed.
“We are asking ourselves if our leaders are aware of the many problems we have. Many times they come to visit us, but they leave us with empty promises in addressing water and health issues,” he said.
Poor road network
He said the area has a poor road network, and it is always a challenge to get a bodaboda during parts of the day and at night.
Because of this, bodaboda operators take advantage of the situation to demand more money from patients.
“If you become sick, you need a minimum of Sh1,000 due to the transport challenges here. Bodabodas demand more money. Sometimes they demand we fuel their motorbikes before they take us to Bamba hospital,” he said.
He said the dispensary would serve over 3,000 residents and thousands others from Kidemu, Petanguo and Lutswani villages.
Mr Francis Kahindi said residents walk about 14km to the nearest health facility.
The most affected, he said, are pregnant mothers.
“Sometimes pregnant women die on the way to the hospital because of the lack of quality medical services,” he said.
Ms Jumwa Kalume said bodaboda are never available during emergencies. She said the situation is worse at night.
No midwives
“We do not have midwives to help our women. We were warned against seeking services from unqualified midwives because they can tamper with the unborn child in the womb. It makes many women want to go to the hospital,” she said
Ms Kalume added that sometimes they seek the help of witch doctors because they have no nearby health facilities.
This mostly happens when someone is bitten by a snake.
Muyuni residents depend on charcoal production to earn money.
It is hard to raise enough money for food and medication.
Kilifi County Health Executive Charles Dadu said the project was re-tendered and construction will resume in mid-January next year.
He said the county government was following the legal procedures required for stalled projects.
"We conducted the evaluation of the stalled dispensary, and the works will begin in mid-January," he said.
