The Enigma Surrounding the Doctor Linked to the Decline of Pandya Hospital

Pandya Hospital has been a staple of the Mombasa healthcare scene for many years. Hundreds of patients have been treated here everyday for years. Quality and reliable care has been synonymous with Pandya Hospital for years, until now.

Following a slew of complaints that we have heard about the hospital, we sought to find out what is really ailing this fine institution.

A close look at the hospital will show you that its operations are now at 30% capacity. A far cry from its heyday where its corridors, labs, inpatient and outpatient services were full of those seeking medical help.

We spoke to a member of staff, who wishes to be anonymous to avoid being indicted, and he intimated to us that the hospital had been mismanaged by its leadership who have been diverting patients away from the hospital to their own clinics and making it difficult for other doctors to admit their patients.

For clarity, Pandya Hospital is run by a registered society called the Pandya Memorial Society. It is therefore a non profit organization that is partly dedicated to providing healthcare to the community.

Therefore the doctors and staff who work at Pandya are expected to do so as an act of service rather than as a business solely dedicated to profitability and lining their own pockets.

This, however, seemed to have changed ever since a new board was put in place last year. The board included the election of one Dr. Vinesh Vaghela, who is also owner and director of Vivid Medical Centre. This means that the doctor had a conflict of interest which would soon be clear.

As soon as he was elected secretary, he began micromanaging the hospital’s operations and asked other staff in the hospital to send patients to his clinic instead of receiving services at Pandya.

This of course, means higher costs for patients but also less revenue for Pandya Hospital which charged less to keep itself running.

When senior doctors and staff pointed this out, many were fired by the board secretary without following due process and against the management’s consent. These arbitrary and unfair dismissals have led to many cases in the Mombasa labour courts against Pandya Hospital, further tarnishing the hospital’s reputation.

Many members of the society including the former chairman and other leaders, through letters we have seen, have questioned the appointment of the secretary of the board and his actions since his appointment. These questions have been largely ignored by the trustees and board while the hospital languishes.

One is left to wonder, is Dr Vinesh Vaghela the man who will destroy Pandya? Is this the end of Pandya Hospital as we know and love it?