Health centre in Lari opened after 30 years of neglect

A community health facility in Kiambu County that had been neglected for the past 30 years has now been opened.

The Kiambu County Health team on Tuesday opened the dispensary situated in Gitithia village in Lari Sub-County.

The lack of a health facility in the area had been blamed for an outbreak of measles there in 2011.

A total 824 children were reported to have contracted the disease, a situation that would have been avoided if the children had been properly immunised.

The county officials, accompanied by Lari MP Mburu Kahangara, were told of how Gitithia Dispensary was constructed in 1984 by the residents after years of contributing Sh5 each.

However, upon completion, the project stalled and did not take off because of the politics that plagued the management of hospital.

CORRUPTION CLAIMS

The chairman of the project, Mr Benjamin Mwaura, said that a donor once promised to give millions of shillings to revive the hospital, but claims of corruption made the donor pull out of the project.

Mr Mwaura added that there was also an arrangement with a church to use the facility to offer health services, while in return the church would build doctors’ units and ensure the hospital had water.

But the church failed to keep their end of the agreement and also moved out.

Lari Health Administrative Officer Jessie Mwaura, Lari Sub-County Medical Health Officer Dr Caroline Mwangi, MP Kahangara and MCA Joseph Githaiga promised to support the community in ensuring the facility was provided with medicine and other equipment for their treatment.

TRAVELLED LONG DISTANCE

MP Kahangara said residents were travelling long distances to Rukuma Health Centre and AIC Kijabe Hospital to seek treatment.

However, the newly opened health centre would transform lives in the community by bringing health-care services close to them, he said.

“I encourage cooperation between the county and national governments in bringing service closer to the people. We must not fight. The MCA must respect the MP and vice versa,” said MP Kahangara.

The Lari Constituency Development Fund earlier gave Sh200,000 to the health centre.

During the opening ceremony, MP Kahangara promised another Sh500,000 to ensure the health centre was painted and the doctor's house refurbished to bring in piped water and a fridge bought, among other items. The fridge would facilitate the storage of medicine meant for immunising children.

SUPPORT FACILITY

Dr Mwangi asked the residents to support Dr Caroline Ngugi, who has been posted to the health centre, by bringing in their sick for treatment.

“If you do not bring patients here, the doctor will be removed and posted elsewhere where there is need,” Dr Mwangi said.

Secondary school principals and primary school head teachers who were present during the opening ceremony said the facility was a blessing for the area since children would no longer have to travel long distances for treatment. This will at the same time ensure that learning in their institutions would be disrupted a lot less.

Gitithia Primary School head teacher Serah Karungu said, “Many children in my school have eye problems and I will as soon as tomorrow consult the doctor on what might be affecting their eyes and disrupting their learning.”

The school is located next to the health centre.