By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT
Kitui County health authorities have urged political leaders to avoid taking advantage of patients and unduly using them to gain political mileage. “Leaders and other members of the public are advised not to create a situation where vulnerable patients are meant to leave hospital without completing their medical procedures simply because of political gain,” cautioned the CECM for Health and Sanitation Ruth Koki.
The County Minister issued the caution during a press conferment at the Kitui County Referral Hospital on Tuesday in the wake of a visit by former governor Charity Ngilu at the hospital seeking to pay medical bills for some patients.
"I wish to clarify to the people of Kitui County the incident that occurred at the Kitui County Referral Hospital on Friday September 4th, 2026 following a visit by former Kitui Governor Charity Kaluki Ngilu.
I want to address the matter with the seriousness it deserves. It is not about politics. It concerns the safety and dignity of patients, the integrity of health facilities and accountability of public resources,” she observed.
Koki noted that the authorities were not amused that although Mrs Ngilu arrived with intentions to help some mothers pay hospital bills, she ended up unprocedurally escorting 19 patients out of the the hospital leaving an outstanding bill of over Sh. 300,000.
However, the CECM acknowledged that Ngilu, on Tuesday Ngilu paid Sh. 215,000 as part of the bill for the release patients leaving a balance of Sh. Sh.128,950.
She emphasized that County health and sanitation authorities had no problem with any leader, organisation, institution or individual who want to assist vulnerable patients clear their medical bills but the right procedure must be adhered to. “There is a clear distinction between assisting a patient and unprocedural release of patients from the hospital without completing the required clinical and administrative procedures,” she said.
The CEC Member added that political benefit should never be allowed to compromise the health and lives of patients. She said that her department's priority was to ensure that the all the 19 affected patients who were unprocedurally released from hospital were safe, accounted for and helped to complete their medical care and discharge processes.
CECM Koki explained that the hospital thus had made efforts to reach out to the 19 discharged patients and gotten hold of 10 who returned to the hospital to complete clinical and administrative procedures. The remaining 9 were still being traced, she added.
She at the same time urged the people of Kitui County to enroll with SHA as it helps reduce the out of pocket cost and ensures timely access to essential health care including maternal and newborn care.
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