MTRH takes action against prisons in North Rift region

Prisons in North Rift region have been dealt a blow after the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret suspended medical services to inmates.

This is  due to accumulated debts amounting to about Sh20 million.

The hospital wants the accrued costs paid by the prisons department before it can resume medical services to prisoners.

Some of the suspects held at Eldoret GK remand prison are yet to undergo mental assessment to determine their mental fitness to stand trial, three months after the High Court in Eldoret directed that they be examined.

Failure to undergo the tests has caused delayed handling of murder cases because medical examination in such cases is mandatory before trial.

CEO of the hospital, Dr Wilson Aruasa, confirmed that they had suspended services to inmates until the money owed to the hospital is paid.

Dr Aruasa said the prisons department had breached its contractual obligations by failing to clear the accrued costs of medical services for the last two years.

“The prison department owes us that money and we gave them adequate notice to clear so that we work with them well as we have been doing over the years,” said Dr Aruasa.

Aruasa said the hospital management has no other  issue with the prison department except the accumulated costs of medical services for inmates.

Staff at the hospital has been directed not to handle the prisons medical cases until the pending bills are cleared.