Patients at Abim General Hospital have struggled to raise complaints and provide feedback nearly two years after the introduction of a client satisfaction assessment tool intended to improve accountability in public health facilities.
A URN visit to the hospital found that the Client Satisfaction Assessment Tool, launched in 2024, is not functioning as intended. Although QR codes are displayed on notice boards across the facility, most patients said they were unaware of their purpose or how to use them.
The routine tool is meant for patients in public health facilities to register feedback—positive or negative—on the quality of care they receive. It relies on digital submissions through QR codes as part of efforts to strengthen patient-centered care and service delivery.
However, many patients interviewed said they had never heard of the system and did not understand how it works. Others said they lacked smartphones or were unfamiliar with digital platforms.
Nancy Akello, a patient nursing a fractured leg, said she had no knowledge of the feedback system and expressed frustration over the cost of treatment.
“I have never heard about it,” she said. “And even if it was there, I don’t think it can change anything. I came in the morning and was asked to pay 20,000 shillings for a plaster of Paris in a government hospital.”
Akello said she had to return home to look for money before receiving treatment.
Her experience reflects broader concerns among patients at the facility, where access to services is often complicated by costs and limited information.
Vicky Ayoo, an expectant mother, also said she was unaware of the tool and would have used it to report what she described as mistreatment by some support staff.
“I don’t even know that it exists,” she said. “If I knew, I would use it. Some cleaners confiscate our belongings until we pay money. I am heavily pregnant, but they expect me to carry water for cleaning the ward.”
Caretaker Richard Ongom raised concerns about poor conditions at the hospital, questioning the lack of basic amenities such as water.
He said patients and caretakers are often forced to fetch water from outside the facility.
A health worker at the hospital, who requested anonymity, said the tool was designed to improve accountability and service delivery by collecting feedback directly from patients and staff.
“The tool is meant for patients and even staff to give feedback about their experience in the facility,” the health worker said. “These responses go directly to the ministry, and they have helped improve some services, like ensuring the laboratory is well stocked.”
However, the health worker acknowledged challenges in implementation, noting that the system relies heavily on smartphones, which many patients do not have.
“Most patients do not have smartphones, and printed copies are not provided as required,” the source said. “Many people are not aware of the tool, and others simply ignore the QR codes on notice boards.”
The health worker added that while some patients are guided on how to use the system, only a small number complete the process.
As government promotes digital accountability tools in health care, experts say their effectiveness will depend on awareness, accessibility and whether patients believe their feedback leads to real change.
