Shock as 25 counties report faulty medical gadgets

 

Details have emerged of hundreds of faulty crucial medical devices procured under the controversial Sh63 billion Managed Equipment Service programme.

The Star has established that at least 25 counties have reported defective equipment despite the devolved units paying about Sh200 million every year for the project.

The reports have been filed by the Health departments of respective counties and submitted to the Council of Governors through the office of CEO Mary Mwiti.

Among the items that are not functional are mainly theatre, CT-scan ICU, renal and x-ray machines.

The revelations have compounded the mystery surrounding the programme that has been criticised as having been designed to fleece the public.

The counties that have reported faulty equipment are Nakuru, Wajir, Kilifi, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Nairobi, Turkana, Isiolo, Kisumu, Lamu, Nandi, Taita Taveta, West Pokot and Garissa.

Others are Nyeri, Elgeyo Marakwet, Murangá, Makueni, Vihiga, Busia, Kiambu, Kisii and Bomet.

The programmes entailed leasing of assorted medical equipment for a period of seven years ending December, 2022. The contracts are yet to be extended.

Under the MES contracts signed in 2015 with five international firms, the contractors were required to commission, maintain and train county medics on the usage of the sophisticated equipment.

The assorted medical equipment was installed in select county and national hospital in what the government rooted was to improve provision of health services.

Many governors said the contract was vague and shoved down their throats. 

In their report, the ad hoc committee which has probed the contract, said: “The committee has established the entire procurement process in the MES project from conceptualisation to its implementation is shrouded in secrecy and smells of irregularities and illegalities."

The report showed the officials manipulated procurement laws, varied contracts and bulldozed county governments into accepting the equipment without proper consultation between the two levels of government.

However, the report was rejected on the floor as a majority of the senators voted against it, saying the committee had not identified specific individuals who bungled the programme.

In Nakuru, Health executive Jacqueline Osoro reported to the CoG in a report dated May 2, that 10 renal machines are dysfunctional at the Nakuru Teaching and Referral Hospital.

One C-Arm Machine and a diathermy machine are also dysfunctional at the same facility.

At Naivasha Subcounty Hospital, diathermy machine and oxygen concentrator ate faulty.

In Wajir, a dialysis machine, voltage stabiliser, ultrasound machine and esteem autoclave are faulty.

“The following equipment under the Managed Equipment Service have developed major faults due to lack to periodic maintenance,” Wajir County Referral Hospital CEO Dahir Somow said in his report to CoG.

Isiolo county has reported that one of its dialysis machines has not worked for two months now.

The county said that its CT scan had stalled for more than six months but has since been repaired.

“The only machines not working are the dialysis machines and the ICU equipment are due for servicing,” a report from Garissa says. 

Turkana reported that three haemodialysis machines are malfunctioning.

In Nairobi, all the gadgets are due for service.

“We need help with service maintenance urgently,” the county said. 

West Pokot reported that an ultrasonic washer is not being used while Brivo-DR, an equipment in x-ray section, has not been connected to power since installation.

A C-Arm has been destroyed by fire. In the theatre, operating light is but and not working.  

In Taita Taveta, dialysis machine has been in constant breakdown while dialysis bed and chair are worn out and needs urgent replacement.

The county, in the report, decried long waiting time period of repair and part replacement, lack of trained biomedical engineers from the facility and persistent error logs after repair, service or part replacement 

It wants all dialysis machines, beds and chair replaced.

In Lamu, one anaesthetic machine, one dialysis machine, a dental OPG machine and mammography machine are all faulty.

In Kirinyaga, two dialysis machines, one theatre operating light, operating theatre table brakes, air conditioning system and portable x-ray machine are faulty.

The equipment are at Kerugoya County Referral Hospital.

At Kimbimbi subcounty, air conditioning system, rescustaire and patient monitor spo2 probe are faulty. At Kerugoya County Referral Hospital, autoclave is faulty.

Some of faulty MES theatre equipment at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital are anaesthetic- machine, patient stretchers, operation table, surgical diathermy while oxygen sensors on all anaesthetic machines are outdated.

In Meru, MRI machine has not worked since February 2021.

OPG (dental) machine, air conditioner anaesthetic machine, infant warmer, dialysis machine and a ventilator machine have not worked since last month.    BY THE STAR