How Kiambu County Has Revitalised Its Health Sector

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto Wednesday commissioned Gatundu and Kiambu Level 4 Hospitals.

Speaking exclusively to Thika Town Today, Kiambu County Health Communications Officer Mr. Peter Arakawa said that in Gatundu, the president officially opened the new hospital service wing and inspected the refurbished wards at the old facility. The new ultra-modern block was started by himself when he was MP for Gatundu South. The project, which is now fully equipped by the Kiambu Government, is meant to ease congestion of referral cases in Thika Level 5 Hospital.

“Kiambu County Government has digitised the operations of the new Gatundu Level 4 Hospital wing and installed the latest digital and Ultra-modern health equipment. Gatundu Level 4 Hospital now takes pride of a 12-bed ICU capacity as well as a new Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC),” he added.

Arakawa said that Kiambu Level 4 Hospital had acquired new state-of-the-art digital X-ray machines that now offered 24-hrs X-ray services, a new ICU ward and a newly installed tele-medicine equipment. That aside, the county has hired more trained X-ray staff who man the X-ray department.

“We have also improved on the waiting area to make it more comfortable and put up proper reflecting signage to direct the visitors. It has also installed new power backup equipment to ensure patients get services 24/7. Kiambu Level 4 Hospital has also refurbished its wards,” said Arakawa.

Thika Level 5 Hospital in Thika West Sub-County a fully operational Dialysis Center. Its renal unit, which centrally located within the Thika Level 5 facility, has a bed capacity of 7 patients.

The renal Unit has been in operation since November 2015. It is manned by a team of competent consultant, nurses, clinician, biomedical engineer and a hospital assistant and operates between 8:00am to 5:00pm daily except during public holidays. Currently, the unit has handled 422 dialysis cases and is still receiving more, thus easing congestion at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).

The result has been timely detection of the kidney disease before chronicity sets in. this has in turn translated into cost effectiveness for the patient as National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) still covers chronic illnesses.

According to Arakawa, there has been a reduction of patients’ treatment waiting time within and outside the county.

The Reproductive Health Unit Construction is in progress at Thika Level 5 hospital.

The county is currently offering a wide variety of family dentistry care using the latest state-of-the-art technology and progressive, innovative methods in their level four hospitals. They have also introduced top quality and personalized dental care in a number of its hospitals.  

Dental sets have already been delivered to Thika Level 5 Hospital, Githunguri, Wangige and Karuri Level 4 Hospitals. The new facilities include an extensive array of cosmetic, restorative and general dentistry solutions to maintain excellent oral health.

They now plan to provide a full range of dental procedures that include dental implants, highly effective laser & cosmetic dentistry solutions.

In the near future, Kiambu County plans to establish a kidney transplant, treatment and health research center, train more health care workers in Kidney disease and the screening of renal impairment at grassroots/community level. They also plan to hire more nephrologists and renal nurses to help ease the challenges in the unit.

Arakawa concluded by saying that all the health facilities across Kiambu County were well stocked with drug assortment, staffed with competent medical professionals and are fully NHIF accredited. He added that Kiambu County is currently the only county in Kenya to have rolled out dialysis services.