Governor Irungu Kang’ata administration is posed to be the first to embrace telemedicine technology in efforts to give the one million population the best health care.
Two leading telemedicine providers, Health X and Byon 8 have been engaged by the county government to run the programme for six months on a pilot programme in 35 health facilities.
In preparation for the roll out, health workers have been taken through the concept by the experts as the required infrastructure is being laid ahead of commencing the programme on September 1.
The telemedicine providers said they have been working in the private sector , with Murang’a being the first county government to embrace the technology.
A facilitator, Mr Eric Wahu said that telemedicine was introduced in Kenya in 2017 but gained momentum in 2020 following the Covid 19 outbreak.
“Since then the technology has been practised in private hospitals, Murang’a becomes the first to launch telemedicine in the public health facilities,” said Wahu.
Wahu said telemedicine will focus more on chronic diseases and ease movement of locals to the hospitals.
In the programme specimens will be transported by drones to nearby laboratories for examinations and results sent electronically.
A truck will be installed with dialysis machines to ease movement of kidney patients from home to hospitals.
Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata said all the infrastructure has been rolled out to launch the telemedicine technology in all facilities, focused at enabling patients to access doctors with ease.
The governor said the stakeholders in the technology will have capacity building sessions with the health workers to ensure we have the best results at the end of the pilot programme.
“Solar panels have been installed in health facilities across the county in case of electricity supply disruption,” said Kang’ata.
During the workshop, the health care providers demonstrated the technologies use of mobile phone powered doctor consultation, e- theatre, drones for delivering medicine, mobile theatres, and dialysis centres.
