Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki visited Chuka Referral Hospital on Friday disguised as a senior citizen.

His reasons for disguising himself as he visited the hospital were pegged to his curiosity to experience the service delivery rendered to residents of his county by the facility.

Muthomi Njuki. PHOTO/COURTESY

Dressed in a pair of denim trousers, a brown baggy jacket, a hut, a walking stick and a mask, the governor happened in the compound unaccompanied by his usual security detail, drawing no attention to himself.

The governor, who was also visiting a patient admitted at the facility walked in calculated steps to mimic an old person and made his way around the facility.

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Muthomi Njuki. PHOTO/COURTESY

He was hell-bent on finding out how the staff at the hospital rendered their services to their patients. The governor took time to converse with patients as he gathered their views on their experiences.

Njuki was quite impressed with service delivery in some departments of the facility. However, according to the governor, other departments performed dismally.

One unfortunate incident he witnessed perturbed him concerning senior citizens. Njuki witnessed the agony of old patients as younger and energetic patients who cut corners to access services with the help of some hospital staff mistreated them.

Muthomi Njuki. PHOTO/COURTESY

He said there were ageing women who had come earlier but remained unattended for long because other patients circumvented the facility’s management system.

"There were patients that had come at 11.00 am, and they were unattended because the systems have been circumvented by young able patients who can negotiate. Even though the hospital management system was working, the queuing system had been switched off to facilitate mischief," Njuki said.

The governor could not hide his disappointment in the customer care and outpatient departments for poor hygiene standards and disorderliness.

“Hygiene, both in the Out-patient, Customer Care and order was completely ignored. If you are not strong enough to queue, people just keep on jumping ahead of you,” Njuki said.

Muthomi Njuki. PHOTO/COURTESY

In his two-hour visit, the governor had the rare chance to experience the services rendered at the facility first-hand. He said it took him about half an hour to have his vitals such as blood pressure taken.

 "I spent two hours before they realised," Njuki said.

The governor later revealed his true identity, shocking both the staff and patients alike. He was positive that after his visit the facility will work to improve on the standards of their service delivery.

“I am sure they will improve,” Njuki concluded.

Muthomi Njuki. PHOTO/COURTESY

Patients have been complaining of poor service delivery whenever they visit public health facilities. In some instances, the doctors on duty are reported to be revelling at local pubs while patients are languishing in pain in the queues waiting to the treated.