In patients at Busia County Referral hospital have complained about starvation due to what they term as a shortage of food.

Some of the patients who spoke to the press at the facility said they have gone for days without food forcing their relatives to purchase from outside.

“The quantity of food has greatly reduced,” said Elijah Okumu who is one of the inpatients at the facility.

Okumu added that the patients did not eat last night but had only porridge in the morning. “Right now we do not know whether we will be given lunch,” he said.

Another patient, Chrisanthus Odhiambo said they had gone on empty stomachs for the past three days.

Susan Akinyi reiterated that quantity of food at the facility has reduced with cooks having nothing to prepare for the patients.

Akinyi added that some of the workers are also complaining that they have not received their salaries.

“Most of the food being consumed here is brought from outside by relatives or care takers of the patients,” she said.

Busia Deputy Governor Moses Mulomi, however, said he was not aware of the suffering of the patients, adding that they are yet to investigate the allegations.

“What I know is that we have released Sh. 16 million and will pay the casuals who had not been paid,” he said.

Mulomi blamed the National Government for the delay in the release of funds hence bringing services to a halt.

“You cannot expect us to get money from elsewhere to do those activities,” he said adding that the delays at the national level affect county services.

In July 2019, all the 47 Counties failed to receive allocations due to gridlock between the Senate and National Assembly over Revenue allocation.

KNA by Salome Alwanda