The Mountain Journal
editor@themountainjournal.co.ke
Kirinyaga County Governor Anne Waiguru, is set to install 25 new dialysis machines in a move to boost renal care, spreading the services from the county referral hospital to sub-county facilities for the first time.
The rush to install followed a cry from the patients, after only two out of the eight dialysis machines were operational last week at the referral hospital.
The breakdown of the critical machines, forced many patients to either wait for long hours or seek treatment in far-off hospitals.
In a press statement read on her behalf by the County Executive Committee Member for Medical Services, Public Health and Sanitation, George Karoki, 10 of the machines will be delivered to Kerugoya County Referral Hospital this week while the rest will later be delivered in Sagana, Kimbimbi and Kianyaga Subcounty hospitals with each of them receiving five.
The new renal equipment consignment is part of the County’s Intergovernmental Participatory Agreement with the national government under the new National Equipment Service Program (NESP) which transitioned the counties from the previous Managed equipment Service (MES) program.
“This transition is not only a replacement but also a significant expansion of
dialysis capacity that will greatly enhance access to specialized healthcare for our residents”, said Waiguru.
Under the previous MES program Kirinyaga received 8 machines that have
effectively served the county for over seven years, some of which have now
become obsolete creating a gap in service delivery at the renal unit.
“In the meantime, some of the patients requiring dialysis have been seamlessly referred to partner facilities, with the Social Health Authority (SHA) fully covering
the costs to ensure uninterrupted care and protect families from out-of-pocket
expenses.” Explained Karoki.
The statement added that with NESP, Kirinyaga has already received a range of modern diagnostic equipment, including a CT scan, mammogram machine,
ultrasound, and digital X-ray machines, all of which have been installed and are operational at Kerugoya Referral Hospital.
“We reassure the people of Kirinyaga that we are committed to ensuring
uninterrupted, high-quality, and affordable healthcare. Our collective commitment to strengthening our healthcare infrastructure and deliver on the promise of a healthier Kirinyaga remains at the heart of our development agenda.” affirmed Waiguru.
