The Ministry of Health has given a number of recommendations to the management of Pumwani Maternity Hospital, which are meant to improve services at the facility.
These suggestions came following public uproar after 11 bodies of infants were found stashed in boxes and polythene bags for lack of better storage facilities.
A joint task committee that was formed to investigate the state of the hospital following the incident established that the hospital has a number of challenges that need urgent intervention.
“The committee observed that the hospital has a number of challenges ranging from weak health systems, inadequate infrastructure, equipment and shortage of health workforce including nurses, medical doctors and clinical officers,” read the statement.
A preliminary report directed the hospital’s management to set up a functional cold room within 14 days after Senators on a fact-finding mission established there were none and had enquired on the same.
Hospital employees, when questioned, explained that lack of cold rooms at the facility made them seek alternative means of storage in form of a small holding room where bodies are kept before being transferred to the City Mortuary.
The hospital was also tasked with ensuring the availability of a transport and ambulance system that would provide 24-hours service.
The Nairobi County Government was also charged with deploying more health workers to deliver quality health services.
Existing health workers at the facility had lamented on being overwhelmed by work due to understaffing given the high number of mothers who seek maternity services at the facility.
The County Government was also urged to equip and operationalize the hospital and health centres to provide maternal and newborn health services so as to decongest the hospital.
