Nakuru County to spend Sh1bn on refurbishment of hospitals

Nakuru County Health Services Executive Dr Gichuki Kariuki in a past function. He has said that the county will refurbish outpatient departments and hire medics. PHOTO | FRANCIS MUREITHI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  FRANCIS MUREITHI

What you need to know:

  • An ultra-modern out-patient department will be constructed at Naivasha Level Four Hospital at a cost of Sh300 million

  • Nakuru Level Five Hospital's outpatient department will gobble the lion share with Sh600 million.

Nakuru County will spend more than Sh1billion in the current financial year to refurbish out-patient departments in all level four and five hospitals.

An ultra-modern out-patient department will be constructed at Naivasha Level Four Hospital at a cost of Sh300 million with the help of power generation company KenGen.

Nakuru Level Five Hospital's outpatient department will gobble the lion share with Sh600 million. Molo will be renovated at a cost of Sh100 million, while Olenguruone will take Sh50 million.

Also Read

SERVICE DELIVERY

 “We shall construct decent out-patient departments to ease congestion and improve service delivery in our major hospitals,” said Dr Kariuki Gichuki on Saturday.

 He added: “We shall separate patients depending on their medical needs,” said Dr Gichuki.

Dr Gichuki observed that this will make staff work in a conducive environment.

Meanwhile, about 60 per cent of deaths in Nakuru County are as a result of diabetes, cancer, heart diseases and hypertension.

The latest statistics indicate that the number one killer disease for in-patients is pneumonia, unspecified abortion, bacterial infection of new-borns and anaemia.

RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS

Other patients die of respiratory tract infections, skin diseases, intestinal worms, urinary tract infections and diarrhoea.

Nakuru County government will recruit health workers this financial year to address acute shortage of medics.

The devolved unit will hire133 nurses and at least 15 public health officers to be posted in all the 11 sub counties.  

Dr Kariuki said they will recruit 39 Clinical Officers, an oncologist and an Ear, Nose and Throat consultant.

DENTAL SURGEONS

Two dental surgeons, eight medical officers, two pharmacists, a family health physician, five community oral health officers and nutritionists will also be hired. Dr Kariuki refuted claims by ward reps that health facilities in the county were lacking drugs.      

He, however, said that some health facilities were manned by nurses who are not authorised to prescribe drugs to patients.

He said that the county cannot afford to recruit doctors in every dispensary.

In the headlines