The country’s biggest mental hospital, Mathari, is struggling with capacity issues that have left patients sharing beds and sleeping on the floor, the Auditor-General has revealed.
The audit for the year to June 2024 says that although the hospital had 653 beds, it admitted a higher number of patients, leaving them to share beds for almost nine months.
The sorry state at the facility has raised concerns that the patients could infect each other with diseases, worsening their conditions.
“Data maintained at the hospital indicated a total of 653 hospital beds. However, review of the daily inpatient attendances indicated the number of inpatients exceeded the available beds resulting in patients being kept on the floor or sharing of beds for a period of 261 days thereby raising the risk of cross infection,” the audit says.
The report audited the case of inadequate patient beds at Mathari Hospital, under the state department for medical services.
It noted that the hospital had allocated Sh12.6 million for renovation of wards, but it did not explain whether the renovation happened.
Medical Services Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai did not respond to questions regarding what the current state at the facility is and government actions to address the problem.
With the state department quiet, it remains unclear whether budget shortfalls led to the situation where patients were forced to sleep on the floor and share beds.
“This was contrary to Article 43 (1) (a) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 which states that, 'Every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, including reproductive health care,” the Auditor-General states.
While mental illnesses are not contagious, patients suffering contagious diseases, including some that cause mental health conditions, could infect each other in such an environment.
The hospital has previously been reported to be facing staff shortages, including much-needed medical specialists such as psychiatrists.
Until last year, the hospital said it was treating 64,000 patients a year and that daily bed occupancy was between 700 and 750.
“The hospital's initial bed capacity of 804 since establishment has decreased over time due to the conversion of wards to accommodate other essential services,” the hospital’s Head of Clinical Services, Mercy Karanja, said in March last year.
The audit’s revelation that the hospital had a bed capacity of 653 beds in the year ending June 2024 shows that its capacity has continued to deteriorate, even as the number of patients at the facility remain high.
