By Joshua Otieno | March 13, 2026
Members of a County Assembly committee led by Bernard Ogutu conducted a fact-finding mission at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) in Mombasa following allegations of governance and management challenges linked to the reported death of a patient.
The inquiry was launched to verify claims regarding the state of services and management practices at the region’s largest referral facility. During the visit, the committee reviewed several operational areas including waiver procedures, emergency response systems, staffing levels and the hospital’s financial status.
Standing in for the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Director of Finance and Administration Abdallah Swaleh defended the institution’s operations, acknowledging that the facility faces challenges but emphasizing that no patient is denied emergency medical care.
Swaleh explained that the hospital operates waiver committees that meet weekly, and sometimes twice a week, to review cases involving patients who are unable to pay for services. He also highlighted the hospital’s reliance on claims processed through the Social Health Authority (SHA).
According to hospital records, as of February 28 the facility had processed 38,308 claims valued at KSh1.432 billion, with KSh974 million still pending, including KSh236 million owed by the now defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Swaleh noted that the delayed payments have significantly affected hospital operations, explaining that the facility spends nearly KSh70 million every month to maintain services.
During the inspection, the committee toured several departments including the modern cardiac catheterization laboratory (CATHLAB), one of only two such units in Mombasa, with the other located at Aga Khan Hospital Mombasa.
Despite its advanced design, the unit is currently not operational due to pending payments that have delayed the delivery of a critical medical coil required to run the equipment.
Staffing shortages also emerged as a major concern during the visit. Director of Nursing Salome Rajab told the committee that the hospital currently has 389 nurses, against a required 640, leaving a shortage of about 250 nurses.
In response to the shortage, the county government has pledged to recruit 60 additional nurses to help improve service delivery at the facility.
To address staff morale, Swaleh outlined several initiatives introduced by the hospital management, including the establishment of a “Wall of Fame” to recognize outstanding employees, conversion of long-serving casual workers to permanent positions and implementation of staff promotions.
Hon. Ogutu encouraged the hospital to further strengthen employee recognition programmes to boost morale and enhance service delivery.
At the conclusion of the visit, the committee commended hospital staff for their efforts under challenging circumstances and assured them that the findings of the inquiry would be presented before the County Assembly.
The committee is expected to table its report together with recommendations aimed at strengthening governance, improving staffing and enhancing service delivery at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital in the coming weeks.
