Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has strongly criticized President William Ruto’s administration over the abrupt closure of St. Mary’s Mission Hospital in Mumias, a vital health facility that has served the region for years. Speaking on Sunday at Christ the Shepherd Catholic Parish in Matawa, Mumias West, Khalwale expressed deep concern over the negative impact the hospital’s closure is having on local residents.
The senator claimed that the hospital was forced to shut down its operations due to the government’s failure to remit Ksh.40 million owed under the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF). The funds, he noted, were meant to compensate the facility for medical services already rendered to patients.
“Many people here depended on this hospital for their healthcare. Now, for three weeks, they have been suffering because of SHIF,” Khalwale lamented, adding that several patients had already died due to a lack of alternative medical care in the area.
He accused President Ruto and Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa of neglecting their responsibilities in managing healthcare, warning that their inaction is deepening the crisis in the county. According to Khalwale, the situation has been made worse by the poor state of the public hospital in Mumias, which is facing severe shortages of drugs and other essential supplies.
The closure of St. Mary’s Mission Hospital has exposed a critical gap in healthcare access in the region, with residents now being forced to travel long distances to seek medical attention. Khalwale warned that unless the government acts swiftly to resolve the financial dispute with the hospital, more lives will be lost.
“I have told President Ruto that introducing SHIF was a problem, but he ignores me and thinks I am just being disrespectful,” the senator said.
Khalwale’s remarks come amid growing scrutiny of the implementation of SHIF, which replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). The controversy surrounding delayed payments to health facilities raises broader questions about the fund’s effectiveness and its impact on service delivery in rural areas.
