Two Kisumu hospitals on the spot for charging a fee to pee

Patients at public health facilities in Kisumu are outraged at being asked to pay Sh10 to use toilets in the outpatient departments.

At Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital and the Kisumu County Hospital, they have to part with Sh10 to use the toilet and Sh20 for bathing. However, no receipt is issued.

FEE TO PEE

Some of their relatives took to social media, complaining that the decision to charge patients for using the toilet caught them by surprise as all services at government health facilities are meant to be free unless patients choose to use the private wing.

They questioned why they were being charged to use a toilet in government facilities.

Ms Emmy Achieng, 32, who visited the referral hospital for antenatal care, said she needs to use the toilet frequently, but does not have the money to pay.

“I don’t have that money. I have to pay Sh50 for the five trips. It is not fair and it’s the first time I am hearing about this,” she said.

Ms Achieng said it was unfair because some patients do not even have the Sh30 for buying record books or food.

“If I am not paying for the antenatal clinic, why would I pay to help myself?” she asked.

BLOCKED TOILETS

However, according to the hospital chief officer Dr Juliana Otieno, only hawkers are meant to pay for the services.

“The washrooms are supposed to help our patients when they come to the hospital, but hawkers normally throw rubbish, which blocks the toilets,” said Dr Otieno.

She said the hospital charges outsiders who are not patients so that they also feel the pain and cost of unclogging washrooms every fortnight.

EVERYONE PAYS

A cleaner who works at the ablution block, but who sought anonymity, said they cannot tell the difference between a hawker and a patient so all of them are charged.

“I charge everyone who wants to use the washrooms because I can’t tell who is a genuine patient and a hawker. Before we would ask and after realising that everyone was a patient, we decided to charge [everyone],” the cleaner said.

The cleaner said the money collected is used to fund the cleaning and pay the toilet attendant.

CHARGES

Mr Gabriel Owino wrote on his Facebook page that it was the responsibility of the hospital to pay its workers, and not the patients.

A letter from County Director of Health Dr Onyango Dickens, addressed to the management of the two hospitals, called for the abolition of the charges.

“This office has been notified of a toilet in your hospital where members of the public are charged Sh10. This matter has caused numerous complaints. It is in this regard that you are hereby advised to stop the charges immediately,” read part of the letter.