The National Assembly’s Committee on Implementation, led by Budalangi Member of Parliament (MP) Raphael Wanjala, on Monday, toured Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret to assess the quality and standards of healthcare services provided at the facility.
The legislators inspected several key departments, including the cancer unit, the Linear Accelerator (LINAC) facility and the cardiac catheterization laboratory, as part of their nationwide exercise to evaluate referral hospitals across the country.
According to Wanjala, the committee is acting on recommendations from the Departmental Committee on Health and is keen on identifying challenges facing referral hospitals to ensure they receive adequate government support.
“We have seen what these hospitals lack and what they require. Our responsibility is to ensure that we support them in securing more resources where necessary, either from this year’s budget or through the next supplementary budget,” said Wanjala.
MTRH Chief Executive Officer Dr. Philip Kirwa welcomed the visit, saying it gave lawmakers first-hand insight into the hospital’s achievements and constraints.
He highlighted ongoing programs such as chemotherapy and outpatient blood transfusion services, minimally invasive procedures at the Cath Lab, and a cardiology camp currently performing pacemaker insertions for 30 patients this week.
However, Dr. Kirwa noted that the hospital continues to face significant pressure from the large influx of patients across the region, including Western Kenya and parts of East Africa such as the DRC, a situation compounded by limited staff and infrastructure.
“One of the biggest challenges remains human resources. In some clinics, doctors attend to as many as 300 patients a day, each requiring at least 10 to 15 minutes of consultation. This often forces our staff to extend their working hours,” he said.
He added that bed capacity is also inadequate, resulting in long waiting times for admission and treatment, while patients seeking outpatient care are often delayed due to long queues and limited equipment.
The MPs also plan to inspect the Eldoret–Ziwa–Kachibora road to assess its implementation progress before proceeding to Baringo County to review the status of a dam project.
The committee will spend two days in the North Rift region, with field visits scheduled for the first day and boardroom deliberations set for the second day to review their findings in detail.
By Fredrick Maritim and Ekuwam Sylvester
