Beyond Bricks and Mortar: Mama Lucy Hospital’s Stalled Expansion Threatens Lives Amidst Funding Limbo
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Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital is grappling with significant project delays and funding shortfalls, a fact brought to light by a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) fact-finding mission led by its chair, Ngara Ward Representative Chege Mwaura. Following a site visit, Mwaura echoed the Auditor General’s findings, revealing that crucial developments like a canteen and a 400-bed hospital expansion are stuck at “way lower than 40%” completion despite partial payments.
The stalled hospital expansion is a major concern, with Mwaura highlighting the “very slow” handover from the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) to the county government. He implored Governor Sakaja’s administration to expedite this process, emphasizing the critical need for more beds to serve the hospital’s high number of patients.
The slow progress of the canteen project, operating under a Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) arrangement since 2023, also drew criticism, with the PAC chairperson suggesting the contractor is hindering the facility’s progress.
Despite these setbacks, the PAC acknowledged Mama Lucy’s dedication to providing care with extremely limited resources, noting the hospital receives “zero funding from the county” and relies solely on its own income. To address this, the committee intends to propose a move towards semi-autonomy or a tailored Facility Improvement Fund (FIF) for Mama Lucy and other Nairobi hospitals like Bagadi, Mama Margaret, and Mutwini, aiming to empower them financially to better serve the city’s healthcare needs. Documents indicate that about a third of the allocated 300-400 million shillings for the stalled projects has been disbursed, but the actual contracts remain unclear, with Mwaura pointing to City Hall for answers.
The PAC’s aim is not just to point fingers but to find solutions that benefit both patients and taxpayers. Their upcoming report will detail the identified issues and offer recommendations to improve the hospital’s overall management. Mwaura highlighted the efficient use of the existing CT scan as an example of the hospital’s potential with proper funding.
Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital CEO Dr. Martin Wafula welcomed the PAC’s visit, affirming the institution’s ongoing efforts to improve its services to Kenyans. He noted their strategies to maintain services during the doctors’ strike through the employment of locum doctors.
Dr. Wafula also addressed the concerning rise in cholera cases, reporting 48 cases and five confirmed positive at the facility, leading to the establishment of a dedicated 20-bed treatment unit and ambulance. He urged Nairobi residents to prioritize hygiene by washing hands and consuming clean or boiled water.
The CEO further stressed the severe strain on the hospital’s resources, particularly the 45-body capacity morgue serving a population exceeding 2.9 million. He expressed hope that the finalized plans for a 400-bed expansion, including a cardiac catheterization lab and a potential increase in operating theaters from six to 18, will secure the necessary funding to alleviate congestion and enhance services, including the capacity for open-heart surgeries.
The Public Accounts Committee’s forthcoming report is expected to shed light on the stalled projects and propose concrete steps to enhance healthcare delivery at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital and potentially other key facilities in Nairobi. The focus will be on ensuring the completion of vital infrastructure and establishing sustainable funding mechanisms to meet the growing healthcare demands of the city’s population.
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