Contractor failures, morgue shortage, and cholera surge hit Mama Lucy Hospital

A series of delays and unfinished projects are crippling operations at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, one of Nairobi’s busiest health facilities.

From an overflowing morgue to an abandoned canteen project, the hospital is facing a string of challenges that threaten to paralyse its services.

This was revealed during an inspection by the Nairobi County Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which raised alarm over the hospital’s deteriorating conditions.

Led by Committee Chairperson Chege Mwaura, the MCAs said they were shocked by the slow pace of construction and poor contractor performance, especially at a time when the hospital is dealing with increased patient numbers and a disease outbreak.

"We are dealing with a serious health facility that serves millions, but the support it needs is not being provided," Mwaura said.

The committee found that projects meant to expand and upgrade the hospital were far behind schedule, with some still below 40% completion despite payments already being made.

Mwaura, who also Ngara MCA blamed the dragging transition process from the now-defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) to the county government and asked the county, led by Governor Sakaja, to speed up the handover.

"The handover process has been very slow," Mwaura said, pointing out that a faster process would help address the rising demand for hospital beds. With the current capacity stretched thin, he warned that delays in project completion were directly affecting access to care.

Also under scrutiny was the canteen, started in 2023 under a Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) model.

Mwaura criticised the contractor, saying they were "letting this facility down" and stalling what should be a basic but essential service to support both staff and patients.

Even with these setbacks, the hospital continues to operate under heavy strain, surviving without any financial assistance from the county.

The PAC Committee revealed that Mama Lucy receives "zero funding from the county" and instead depends entirely on its own income to keep running.

In response, the PAC plans to push for policy changes that would give the hospital more financial independence, either through semi-autonomy or the creation of a Facility Improvement Fund (FIF).

The same proposal could apply to other Nairobi hospitals such as Bagadi, Mama Margaret, and Mutwini.

Available documents show that roughly a third of the Sh300–400 million allocated to the hospital’s projects has been released, yet details of the contracts remain unclear.

Mwaura said this lack of transparency points to deeper issues, and asked City Hall to explain the missing information.

"We are not here just to blame. We want solutions that will work for both the public and the government," he added.

The PAC’s report, still being compiled, is expected to detail the failings and suggest ways to turn the situation around.

Despite the difficult conditions, Mwaura praised the hospital’s use of its limited equipment, pointing to the efficient management of the CT scan as an example of what can be achieved with proper support.

His comments highlighted the potential that lies within the hospital if given a chance through proper funding and project completion.

Mama Lucy’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Martin Wafula, welcomed the committee’s visit.

He assured them that the hospital was doing its best to maintain services, even as the country deals with a doctors’ strike.

He said they had managed to keep operations going by employing locum doctors.

Dr. Wafula also raised alarm over an increase in cholera cases.

The hospital had recorded 48 cases, with five confirmed positive.

To respond quickly, they set up a 20-bed isolation unit and dedicated an ambulance to handle cholera-related emergencies.

He urged residents to remain alert and maintain hygiene, including washing hands and using clean or boiled water.

In addition to the cholera outbreak, the hospital’s morgue is facing a serious capacity crisis.

With room for only 45 bodies, the facility is supposed to serve a population of more than 2.9 million people.

The CEO said this situation adds to the daily pressure on staff and operations, further underlining the need for the stalled 400-bed expansion.

The long-awaited upgrade also includes a cardiac catheterization lab and an increase in operating theaters from six to 18.

According to Dr. Wafula, once completed, the hospital would be in a better position to offer services such as open-heart surgeries, which are currently not possible due to space and equipment limitations.

The Public Accounts Committee is now expected to release a full report detailing their findings.

At its core, the report will not only highlight the slow progress and broken systems that have delayed vital projects at Mama Lucy but also recommend urgent actions that could help unlock funding and ensure the completion of critical infrastructure.

The fate of thousands of patients may depend on whether these recommendations are followed.