Residents of Mumias and surrounding areas have reason to celebrate following the announcement that St Mary’s Hospital Mumias will resume operations after being shut for more than six months.
The Catholic-run level 4 hospital closed in July last year after staff staged a walkout over unpaid salaries. Only the renal unit, run by the national government, and the HIV-Aids clinic remained operational during the closure.
Kakamega Catholic Diocese Bishop Joseph Obanyi said on Monday the hospital will gradually reopen by the end of this month, starting with the outpatient and maternity departments before returning to full operations.
“The hospital management is reviewing all departments and recalibrating equipment that has been idle for months. We have been addressing staff salaries and Social Health Authority (SHA) remittances to facilitate reopening,” Obanyi said.
He urged the government to ensure timely SHA payments to sustain health facilities.
The bishop said the closure highlighted systemic issues, including delayed SHA disbursements, which hampered service delivery to low-income patients.
Health CS Aden Duale said SHA has already cleared Sh98 million in pending bills and Sh14 million will be released in the coming weeks upon submission of the necessary documentation.
The payments follow a September 3 last year meeting with hospital management, the Kakamega Catholic Diocese, and Governor Fernandes Barasa, where a roadmap was agreed upon to settle outstanding claims and maintain uninterrupted services.
St Mary’s Hospital has served the community for decades, providing critical healthcare services. Its reopening marks a key step in restoring access to healthcare for Mumias residents and easing the strain on other facilities in Kakamega county.
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