Mombasa: Tana River County: Governor Maj (Rtd) Dhadho Godhana has reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening primary healthcare through sustained collaboration with medical professionals in a bid to improve service delivery across the county. Godhana emphasized the critical role of health in enhancing the wellbeing of residents and boosting socio-economic progress.
According to Kenya News Agency, Godhana stated that his administration will prioritize addressing issues affecting the health sector to strengthen primary healthcare delivery. This statement was made during a consultative meeting with the County Health Management Team (CHMT) in Hola town, the county headquarters. The CHMT highlighted the need for stronger health systems, more qualified staff, automation of services, and strict adherence to professional standards to achieve quality healthcare.
The Governor directed the health team to enhance service delivery at major health facilities in towns such as Hola, Ngao, Madogo, Bura, and Bangale. This directive follows an incident where a pregnant woman gave birth in the corridors of the Hola County Referral Hospital while awaiting admission, sparking public outrage and protests over alleged negligence and poor maternity services. The uproar resulted in the dismissal of four medical professionals who were on duty but allegedly failed to admit the woman in labor on time.
Governor Godhana expressed concern over maternal and infant deaths, a significant public health challenge in Tana River County, which has a high maternal mortality rate of approximately 265 deaths per 100,000 live births. The causes include severe postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis, hypertension, and significant health infrastructure gaps. He vowed to strengthen health systems and improve maternal, newborn, and overall health outcomes through coordinated action, accountability, and continuous quality improvement.
The Governor announced plans to focus on enhancing healthcare delivery at the community level, increasing investment in health infrastructure, and hiring healthcare workers, particularly in underserved communities. He reiterated the county government’s commitment to ensuring access to quality and timely healthcare services for residents.
Godhana also warned that negligence in healthcare delivery would not be tolerated, and officers failing to perform their duties would face disciplinary action. Residents have long complained of gaps in outreach services, staff absenteeism, and delays in diagnostic services.
Additionally, Governor Godhana announced key upgrades for the Hola County Referral Hospital, including improvements to the maternity wing, High Dependency Unit (HDU), Emergency Room (ER), ambulance services, and other critical facilities. He confirmed that construction of a 450-bed modern Level 5 Hospital at Komor Jilla will commence soon and is expected to be completed by 2027.
