Mombasa County allows philanthropist to continue with kind acts
The entrance to the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital in March last year.
The Mombasa County Government has bowed to pressure and allowed a private investor to continue his philanthropic acts of paying bills of patients unable to pay in public hospitals.
Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has also clarified that recent disputes between his administration and the Mombasa Cement Company are not meant to stop aid to the needy, but to streamline the process.
In a letter to the company's managing director, Health Services Executive Swabah Ahmed Omar said the county appreciates the support given to the county in the health and infrastructure sectors.
"As the county health department, we welcome all corporate donors such as Mombasa Cement and all other individuals who wish to assist in paying the hospital bills. The communication that was circulated was an internal memo to streamline the haphazard manner in which facilities have been approaching some individuals for donations," read part of the letter addressed to Mombasa Cement Company.
Dr Omar continued: "With this clarification, I am hopeful that we can continue to work together for the benefit of the patients we serve.”
The company's owner, Mr Hasmukh Patel, has been spending millions every day to pay the bills of patients stranded at the Coast General
Teaching and Referral Hospital and other public facilities.
On Wednesday, Mr Nassir said no sane person could stop aid from a philanthropist.
"No one is that crazy to stop someone from getting help. What happened was a decision by the Cabinet that everything related to aid should be done with some order. Nobody said that you cannot pay somebody's bill," the governor said in an interview.
The tussle between the two entities led to Mombasa Cement suspending its beautification activities in the tourist city.
Some of Mombasa's iconic wildlife sculptures were removed by the company on Wednesday from Kibarani, a key site in the island city, and taken to Kilifi County.
