Insecurity at Maragua Hospital worries locals, officials

"We have been receiving many reports of criminals running away from police raids, entering the hospital compound and posing as patients. Because we cannot go about executing an operation in a hospital, we retreat," said area Nyumba Kumi chairman Jacob Kimani.

He said there had been reports of women being raped as they walked from neighbouring villages to seek medical services at night.

Just last week, a pregnant Naomi Wacera, 25, and her two friends were attacked by a three-member gang as they walked to the hospital at 11.30pm and lost cash items valued at Sh24,000.

"We have silent victims who have even been raped as they walked to the hospital to seek services. I would urge the government to set up a police post in the facility," Ms Wacera told Nation.Africa.

Maragua Assistant County Commissioner Joshua Okello said the hospital’s security had been the subject of several meetings.

"We have reports of patients escaping with unpaid bills as well as staff losing property. The security guards in the facility cannot effectively secure it in a situation where every other point of its boundaries is an entry and an exit point," he said.

He said the area security committee had identified lack of a fence and floodlights, dilapidated buildings and inadequate and old beddings as the core challenges the hospital is facing.

"To effectively ensure that our patients, staff, visitors and even bodies in the mortuary are safe, we need a fence, lights and surveillance cameras," he said.

Tabled the grievances

The hospital's medical superintendent, Dr Stephen Ngigi, said, "As we strive to offer the best of our professional abilities to serve our people, we would love that security around us be guaranteed. We are engaging and we know something positive will come out of it. We are losing resources that would be of help to us."

Ichagaki Ward Rep Charles Mwangi, under whose jurisdiction the hospital falls, said he had contacted the county Health executive and tabled the grievances.

"We have had serious cases reported from the hospital where gangs even invade it to either secure the release of their members or steal health workers’ effects. We can no longer continue hiding the truth that the facility's security is gravely compromised,” he said.

“It is no longer tenable that the facility continues to operate in darkness and with no guarantee that danger of crime won't invade from any corner of its open field."

Murang’a South police boss Alexander Shikondi said police patrols had been beefed up to deal with crime gangs and most of the troublemakers had been arrested.

"We have a team there led by Chief Inspector of Police Cleophas Juma mandated to ensure efforts to secure the facility are stepped up,” he said.

“But we will be happy if those other stakeholders improve on other aspects of hardening security in the facility. We certainly would love to see the roads leading to the hospital fitted with security lights."

Murang'a County Health and Sanitation executive Joseph Mbai said the county will factor in the recommendations in the 2022/23 budget.

He said there is no money now to finance the proposed security project.

Murang'a Woman Rep Sabina Chege, who is also the chairperson of the National Assembly's Health Committee, said she will seek the national government's help to secure the hospital.

"Public Works Cabinet Secretary James Macharia is our son and we can seek collaboration with the Health and Interior ministries to fence the hospital for us,” she said.

“This is a problem that has been there for a long time and always raised in many forums yet there has been no commitment to address it."

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