Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Nassir has relocated his office to the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital in a bid to personally supervise critical reforms aimed at enhancing healthcare services in the county.
In a statement on Monday, Governor Nassir explained that the move would allow him to closely monitor the hospital’s ongoing transformation and speed up the implementation of key changes.
“This week, I have moved my office to the Coast General Hospital to personally oversee and accelerate the service reforms we are implementing,” he said.
The governor highlighted several initiatives aimed at improving hospital services, including the recruitment of more medical staff, particularly nurses, and the digitization of hospital systems. These reforms are intended to streamline hospital operations, making them faster and more efficient.
Governor Nassir also noted that the county is expanding training programs for healthcare providers to further build the skills of medical workers. He emphasized that the county would intensify supervision and oversight at the hospital to ensure smooth operations and proper use of resources.
“Oversight will also be tightened to ensure accountability in this vital county institution. Healthcare must work for our people, and we are making sure it does,” he stressed.
The hospital has faced several complaints, with one of the most concerning incidents occurring on April 4, when an 81-year-old patient reportedly died after the hospital’s oxygen supply was allegedly turned off during maintenance. The incident is under investigation.
Governor Nassir expressed his condolences to the families affected by the oxygen supply issue.
“There was an incident. It is claimed that oxygen was cut off at Coast General Hospital, which may have led to the death of an elderly patient,” he said.
Nassir met with the family of the deceased on Tuesday, agreeing to an autopsy to confirm the cause of death. The family has hired a private pathologist for the post-mortem, and both the hospital and Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) have been asked to submit detailed reports.
“Anyone found responsible will face the law. There is no other way about it,” the governor said, urging the family to be patient as the investigation continues.
