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The entrance to Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital in this picture taken on March 19, 2024.
For three years, the corridors of the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) have echoed with the silent anguish of the region’s most vulnerable.
The county facility, which once pioneered open-heart surgeries and laparoscopic procedures, has morphed into what many residents now describe as a “death sentence”.
The crisis reached a boiling point on Sunday night with the suspension of the hospital’s long-serving Chief Administrator, Dr Iqbal Khandwalla.
A statement issued by the Office of the County Secretary and Head of County Public Service said the suspension was necessary to restore public trust at the referral hospital, which serves all six counties in the Coast region and beyond.
Suspended Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital Chief Administrator, Dr Iqbal Khandwalla.
“Pending further direction from the board and to ensure continuity of services and stability of hospital operations, the County Government has designated Dr Sood Mohamed to serve as Acting Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect,” the statement added.
However, the suspension has opened what many describe as a Pandora’s Box of systemic rot, political interference and a healthcare system teetering on the brink of collapse.
This was triggered by the death of 52-year-old Ali Kibwana, who worked at the Mvita Constituency office. Mr Kibwana succumbed to complications arising from a subarachnoid haemorrhage (a ruptured blood vessel in the brain). His family’s account is harrowing.
They claim that despite paying over Sh100,000, treatment was delayed due to the hospital's demand for bill clearance before surgery.
“If they can do this to us, who can afford it (treatment costs), what about a poor man who lacks political connections?” the grieving family asked outside the hospital.
Mvita MP Mohammed Machele issued an ultimatum to Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir.
Mvita MP Mohammed Machele.
“You are either with the people or with Dr Khandwalla. We cannot continue losing lives,” he said.
Hours later, Dr Khandwalla was suspended.
In his defence, Dr Khandwalla and Dr Benjamin Okanga, the neurosurgeon involved, gave a different account; one of medical complexity rather than negligence. Dr Khandwalla clarified that as a general surgeon, he does not oversee neurosurgical procedures.
“The patient came to us after collapsing and had initially been taken to another facility. We conducted an MRI, which revealed a severe haemorrhage. I personally received a call from the MP asking for assistance,” Dr Khandwalla stated, refuting claims that he blocked the patient from accessing the operating theatre.
Ruptured blood vessel
Dr Okanga corroborated the account, explaining that a subarachnoid haemorrhage caused by a ruptured blood vessel is a catastrophic condition with extremely high mortality rates.
“A ruptured brain vessel is catastrophic, and about 50 per cent of patients die instantly. The patient never bled again after we stabilised him, but the initial bleeding caused severe complications. He was unconscious and too sick for surgery, so we admitted him to the ICU for support. We never refused to treat him; he was critically ill,” he said.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has termed Dr Khandwalla’s suspension unfair, arguing that medical decisions should not be subjected to political pressure.
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union Secretary-General Dr Davji Atellah addressing the press at the union’s offices in Nairobi on February 23, 2026. He condemned what they termed as political interference at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Union chairperson Dr Abidan Mwachi said the patient was promptly admitted to the ICU for stabilisation, which is standard protocol in emergency cases involving subarachnoid haemorrhage.
He claimed that during the stabilisation process, the local MP demanded expedited treatment, citing the patient’s status as a constituency staff member.
The medical team, he said, adhered strictly to established guidelines.
“This incident raises concerns about the challenges healthcare professionals face in managing emergency cases, particularly under pressure from influential individuals,” said Dr Mwachi.
He added that similar cases have been reported elsewhere and the need for professional bodies to safeguard healthcare workers’ rights. The union is considering legal action under Chapter Six of the Constitution on Leadership and Integrity against the MP.
The suspension has reignited a politically charged debate about the hospital’s trajectory.
Dr Khandwalla was recruited from a private hospital a decade ago by former Governor Hassan Joho. Under Mr Joho’s administration, the facility was revamped with donor support and the CEO was granted significant administrative autonomy.
Competent leader
Mombasa Woman Representative Zamzam Mohamed accused the current administration of sabotaging a competent leader.
“Dr Khandwalla steered this facility to greater heights. Why did he make progress during Mr Joho’s tenure but is failing now? The truth is, the Executive is interfering. Furthermore, the Social Health Authority (SHA) owes the hospital over Sh700 million. How can it operate without funds?” she posed.
A healthcare worker at the facility who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals also voiced similar concerns.
“We use consumables that must be purchased. If politicians keep calling us to release patients with huge bills unpaid, are we helping or killing this hospital? Dr Khandwalla is innocent, the buck stops with the Executive,” the source said.
Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki argued that the county government has not invested in the facility’s infrastructure for three years, leaving development to donor funding secured by Dr Khandwalla.
“Apart from paying staff salaries, the county government has not invested anything in the last three years. All developments have been donor-funded,” he claimed.
Acute staff shortage
He cited critical staff shortages that have led to congestion and poor service delivery, adding that the county has ignored recommendations from Senate oversight reports, dismissing them as a witch-hunt.
“To fix this hospital, we need more than suspending the CEO. Let the CEC for Health and the Chief Officer explain what they have been doing,” Mr Faki said.
Meanwhile, patients continue to bear the brunt of the crisis.
The hospital is grappling with an acute staff shortage, with nurses reportedly handling more than 17 patients each during a single night shift. Financial constraints have left pharmacy shelves nearly empty.
The Mombasa County Assembly Health Committee has written to the hospital’s board seeking answers.
“We have formally requested a meeting with the board and the three key chief officers, Rukia Abdulrahman, Dr Shem Patta and Dr Khandwalla, to probe the depth of the challenges facing our largest referral hospital,” said Deputy Chairperson Fatma Kushe.
She said the committee is investigating whether the service breakdown stems from the transition to SHA, financial mismanagement or interference from the county executive.
The facility has reportedly failed to submit audited financial statements to the Auditor General for three consecutive years, prompting threats of criminal prosecution from the Senate Health Committee.
Recently, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi termed the hospital’s lack of transparency as contempt for the Office of the Auditor-General, while Migori Senator Eddy Oketch called for accounting officers to face imprisonment under the Public Finance Management Act.
The Senate has resolved to conduct a field visit to Mombasa in April 2026 to assess healthcare reforms and investigate the state of sub-county hospitals, Tudor, Port Reitz, Mrima and Likoni, which are also reportedly struggling.
Acting Mombasa County Executive Committee Member for Health, Dan Manyala, said the suspension was standard procedure when grave allegations arise in a public institution and does not imply guilt.
Mombasa County acting Health Executive Dan Manyala briefing the media on the suspension of Coast General Teaching and Referral Chief Administrator Dr Iqbal Khandwalla.
He said the CEO will be accorded a fair hearing before the hospital board makes a final decision.
“Claims that the decision is motivated by anything other than governance and institutional accountability are misguided,” Mr Manyala said.
Amid threats by medics to go on strike within seven days over the suspension, the county government cautioned that disciplinary action would be taken against anyone engaging in unlawful industrial action.
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