Bungoma Senator ,CBS David  Wafula Wakoli at Sirisia level 4 hospital over the weekend…Photo/courtesy

BUNGOMA, Kenya (IP) — Bungoma Senator David Wakoli has warned Governor Kenneth Lusaka that persistent infrastructure and service gaps at Sirisia Level 4 Hospital reflect broader health system weaknesses that could cost lives if not urgently addressed.

Speaking after an oversight visit to the facility, Wakoli said Sirisia Sub-County Hospital should be developed into a center of excellence serving residents of Sirisia and neighboring areas, but current shortcomings undermine that goal.

He cited leaking roofs, chronic water shortages and delays in completing a new hospital wing whose construction began in 2018. Although the contractor has resumed work, the facility still lacks a septic system to manage sewage and wastewater, raising sanitation concerns.

The senator also flagged staff shortages and disruptions linked to the county’s online health management system, saying digital inefficiencies are slowing patient services across facilities.

Level 4 hospitals are mandated to provide comprehensive outpatient and inpatient services, including maternity care, laboratory services and minor surgical procedures.

Wakoli said without adequate staffing, reliable utilities and proper sanitation, Sirisia cannot meet those standards.

Health data over recent years shows Bungoma has made progress in areas such as immunization coverage, but continues to face gaps in skilled birth attendance, infrastructure consistency and emergency access in some regions.

Counties often viewed as performing better on key health indicators — such as Murang’a County — tend to demonstrate more consistent infrastructure upgrades in Level 4 and referral hospitals, higher skilled birth attendance rates, more robust digital patient management systems, stronger staffing levels and broader insurance coverage with functional referral networks.

In contrast, Bungoma’s recurring infrastructure delays, staffing shortages, uneven access to services and gaps in digital systems suggest the county lags behind top-performing counties on several health service delivery metrics.

Wakoli urged Lusaka’s administration to prioritize completion of stalled projects, address sanitation and water shortages, strengthen digital systems and deploy adequate health personnel.

“Healthcare cannot wait,” Wakoli said. “When systems fail, it is ordinary wananchi who suffer.”