Governor pledges to build 13 level three hospitals before end of year

Kiambu,

Thursday, September 14, 2023

KNA by Grace Naishoo

The County Government of Kiambu is on track on promise to build 13 hospitals by the end of this year as Governor Kimani Wamatangi Wednesday presided over Shs.50 million Kiamumbi Level Three Hospital's groundbreaking in Kiambu Township Sub-County.

The event marks the ground-breaking of 13 new health facilities that the county plans to begin construction within four months, throughout the county as it aims to ensure that every ward gets a level three facility.

According to Wamatangi the move to prioritize Kiamumbi Level three hospital as the first one to be constructed is due to its proximity to Kiambu level five hospital as it will play a big role in decongesting the level five hospital.

“This healthcare facility, has a 26-bed capacity an outpatient wing, a maternity wing, a mini laboratory, theatre, and an Administration block, this will improve health care services not only to the residents of Kiamumbi but also Kiambu,” Wamatangi said.

The Governor added that the target is to increase the county hospital bed capacity to 3,208, from the current 1,608 beds before the end of the year.

“Apart from the 13 level three hospitals we are launching today, eleven more hospitals are currently under renovation while construction of four New level 4 hospitals is underway” he said.

Wamatangi stated that the completion of the hospitals will enable Kiambu County to attain the World Health Organization (WHO) requirement that indicates that a person needs to be able to access a health facility in 1.5km from where they live.

“In all the 114 health facilities available in Kiambu County all have medicine stock of about 70 percent, this is to ensure that patient treated in our health care also get their medicine in our facilities”

Health County Executive Elias Maina lauded the project saying once completed, the health facilities will address the current congestion especially with the growing number of patients from neighboring counties like Nairobi, Machakos, Murang'a, and Nakuru counties.

“Due to its positive reputation and its proximity to highly populated counties like Nairobi, Kiambu level 5 hospitals receives daily referrals from other counties hence there is need to come up with such project that will help decongest the counties main health facility” Maina said

This follows the current national Primary Health Care Bill 2023, which seeks the delivery of, access to and management of primary health care.

The Bill also provides for the re-organization of service delivery at the primary health care levels, including dispensaries and health centers to accommodate president Ruto’s promise to commission 100,000 community health promoters in October 2023 and also outlines the services they will offer when they visit households.

Courtesy; KNA