Sh800m mobile clinics in Miritini now moved to counties

Some of the controversial 99 mobile clinics containers seen at Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital in Nairobi on October 5, 2019. The containers were transported under tight police security from the NYS Miritini camp in Mombasa. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Some 68 containers have already been taken to Nairobi.
  • Those at Shimo La Tewa will be transported to the neighbouring counties.
  • The medical equipment which were in the mobile clinics had been vandalised or become rusty.

After three years of rotting at the National Youth Service (NYS) yard in Miritini, Mombasa, the government has moved the Sh800 million controversial container clinics for distribution to the various counties.

Some of the containers which were to be taken to Coast region counties were Sunday spotted at the Shimo La Tewa Maximum Security Prison ready for transportation.

TAKEN TO NAIROBI

Some 68 containers have already been taken to Nairobi and are being stored at the Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital.

“About 15 of them are here (at the prison). They arrived here on Saturday evening,” said a source at the Shimo La Tewa Prison.

Parliamentary Health Committee Chairperson Sabina Chege Sunday told the Nation that they had agreed with the Ministry of Health to move the controversial clinics to the different counties.

“The counties are to apply for them,” said Ms Chege in a short text message to the Nation.

Some of the counties that were initially set to receive the clinics include Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Murang’a, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Kericho, Nakuru, Nandi, Nakuru and Makueni.

APPLY

But the government recently said that the counties will be required to apply for them as agreed with the parliamentary committee.

Mombasa County commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo said those at Shimo La Tewa will be transported to the neighbouring counties.

“The plan to move them to the intended counties is being effected. They are being taken to where they are supposed to be,” said Mr Kitiyo by phone.

The containers were first moved from the NYS yard on the night of October 1 under tight security. They were parked on trucks and transported by road to Nairobi.

VANDALISED

Reports indicated that the medical equipment which were in the mobile clinics had been vandalised or become rusty.

For them to be used, the government will be required to spend more than Sh600 million to furnish them to usable state.

Also needed are about 400 health workers.

Each clinic will be required to have at least four health workers who include a clinical officer, two nurses and a laboratory technician.

SERVICES

The clinics are supposed to offer maternal and child health services, emergency and outpatient services, post-rape care, HIV and TB care, family planning, immunisation and child growth monitoring services.

The 99 containers were imported from Guangzhou, China with the first batch of 40 containers taken to the yard in 2015 and the rest in June 2016.

They were 100 in total but and one was taken to Nairobi for demonstration.

The clinics featured in the Sh5 billion Afya House scandal which came to light in 2016 after a draft internal audit report was leaked to the media.