New radiation machine to lower cancer costs
Dr Wilson Aruasa, the Chief Executive Officer of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- The equipment will come with two main banks, a linear accelerator and other machines that include a high-powered CT-scan that will screen several cancers such as breast cancer.
- We are targeting the young sporting population who have been neglected for long and whose injuries are often misdiagnosed as arthritis.
- Those seeking treatment under NHIF would pay Sh1, 030 per surgery as compared to treatment abroad which costs about Sh800, 000 without including travel and other expenses.
Cancer patients in the country have a reason to smile after Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital announced that it will acquire radiation equipment worth Sh400 million in the next three months.
“Two doctors trained in Egypt and South Africa to handle the equipment will also be back by then and the cost per session will be between Sh2, 000 and Sh3, 000. With the new machines, patients will no longer have to travel to Uganda or Nairobi for screening and chemotherapy sessions,” said hospital CEO Dr Wilson Aruasa during a press briefing.
The equipment will come with two main banks, a linear accelerator and other machines that include a high-powered CT-scan that will screen several cancers such as breast cancer. Dr Aruasa was speaking during the launch of a sports clinic. The hospital has purchased arthroscopy equipment worth Sh30 million for specialised shoulder and knee surgeries.
EXPANSION PLANS
“We are targeting the young sporting population who have been neglected for long and whose injuries are often misdiagnosed as arthritis,” Dr Aruasa said. He added that those seeking treatment under NHIF would pay Sh1, 030 per surgery as compared to treatment abroad which costs about Sh800, 000 without including travel and other expenses.
Dr Aruasa also revealed that plans to construct a new 200-bed facility are underway. “Already, a tender notice has been advertised for companies to design and equip the new facility.
We will reveal the details of the total cost once the proposal has been evaluated by the Ministry of Health and the hospital,” he said.
Last week, the National Land Commission (NLC) approved the hiving off of part of the Department of Prisons’ land in Eldoret to pave the way for building a teaching and referral hospital.
The commission sanctioned the transfer of 200 acres belonging to the department to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH).
NLC vice chairperson Abigael Mbagaya said the legal tussle between Prisons and MTRH should not delay construction of the second referral hospital in Uasin Gishu County which will serve the western Kenya region and neighbouring countries.
“It is the government which allocated the land to MTRH and approved funds for construction of the hospital, there is no need to restrain it from implementing the project,” said Ms Mbagaya while chairing the NLC tribunal at County Hall in Eldoret town. Ms Mbagaya also urged both sides to set aside the case.
