Bomet Governor Hilary Barchok has announced new changes in the leadership of Longisa County Referral Hospital in a bid to improve service delivery.
In a statement on Wednesday, November 13, the governor stated Dr. Benard Sowek will take over as County Director of Health and appointed Dr. Ronald Kibet the Medical Supretendant at the hospital.
On the other hand, Barchok stated that Julius Magut will be in charge of Clinical Officers, further reassigning Dr. Andrew Cheruiyot to Special Clinics.
In a renewed effort to elevate nursing care across the county, the governor also appointed Alfred Bett as Nursing Officer In-charge.
While Paul Sigei will oversee Clinical Officer internships, Barchok picked Stephen Kombich to manage Bomet Health Center and serve as the County AIDS and STI Coordinator (CASCO).
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"These appointments are part of our commitment to better health care for all residents of Bomet. They take effect immediately," the governor said in the statement.
The new changes come days after nurses at Longisa County Referral Hospital were accused of neglecting a patient who later died.
In a statement on Tuesday, November 12, Barchok said investigations into the matter are underway, arguing that a brief clip showing the alleged negligence cannot determine what happened.
"A heart-chilling video has circulated, raising concerns about the care Baby Neno received at Longisa. However, a preliminary report suggests that this brief clip may not fully represent the actual reception and treatment provided. Independent investigations by the County Assembly and the Medical Board are underway, and I assure the public that we are committed to a transparent, fair, and thorough review.
"I understand the anger and frustration gripping our community, and the calls for accountability are valid. In response, we will be reviewing our protocols for referrals, patient management, staff conduct, and crisis response in the coming days. I am fully committed to implementing improvements to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again," the county boss stated.
The patient, only identified as Baby Neno, had been referred to the facility after a bee attack alongside three other children.
Barchok stated that the four were initially treated at a local dispensary before Baby Neno and one other child were referred to Longisa County Referral Hospital and Tenwek Hospital respectively.
"While we await the findings of these investigations, I urge all leaders, including our Senator and other elected officials, to come together and ensure this incident leads to constructive change in our healthcare system.
"Rather than resorting to divisive rhetoric, let us work collaboratively toward solutions that guarantee better care for all. We stand united with Baby Neno’s family in this difficult time, offering our deepest condolences and wishing a swift recovery to the affected children," he concluded his statement.
