China deal to boost scan kits in 37 county hospitals

The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Government of China on Saturday launched a Computed Topography (CT) scan units supply and installation programme for 37 county hospitals.

In installing the units, the government placed emphasis on hospitals located along major highways with a view to enhancing fast and accurate diagnostics on victims of emergency cases such as road accidents.

The CT scan centres will also aid in early detection of various forms of cancer.

COLLABORATION

Under this initiative, the government has contracted Neusoft Medical Systems, a Chinese medical equipment manufacturing company under a government to government collaboration with China. The collaboration will see 37 radiologists and radiographers travel to China for training on use of the machines.

Speaking during the launch, Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki said the ministry was also putting up a centre of excellence and a cloud imaging centre at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). “This means patients accessing these services can actually wait for their results real time since it connects to all county CT scanners for reporting second opinion, teaching and referrals,” she said.

The CS was speaking at Thika Level Five Hospital during the ground-breaking ceremony for construction of the hospital’s CT scan unit that is expected to begin operation in six months, serving patients from Kiambu County and neighbouring areas.

UNIVERSAL HEALTH

She further said the cost of CT services in hospitals would be subsidised through the National Health Insurance Fund cover, as the government seeks to ensure universal health coverage by 2022.

The programme complements the ministry’s specialised Medical Equipment Supply Programme and the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) centres that have benefited both national and county referral hospitals.

Under the programme, three hospitals in Kiambu county — Thika Level Five, Kiambu Level Five and Gatundu Level Five — were equipped with modern diagnostic machines for theatre, sterilisation, imaging, renal dialysis units, ICU and MRI centres.

INADEQUATE STAFF

However, Thika Town MP Patrick Wainaina said hospitals like Thika Level Five were still grappling with congested wards, with patients sharing beds, inadequate staff and low staff morale.

The MP also called for standardisation of the cost of specialised medical procedures in both public and private hospitals to ease the burden on patients, families and friends across the country.

“The national government cannot do everything. In private hospitals, a very simple procedure is charged five to 10 times more than in public hospitals. These procedures should be standardised across the board,” said Mr Wainaina.

Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu acknowledged the need for more staff and bed capacity in the county’s various hospitals, but cited shortage of funds.

15O NURSES

He said that once the new reproductive health unit is completed, congestion will reduce at Thika Level Five Hospital — whose current capacity, he said, ranges from 300 to 400 patients.

“The facility is 95 per cent complete, with a bed capacity of 300 patients. After its completion, the hospital will have a bed capacity of almost 600 patients,” said Mr Waititu.

He said his administration was in the process of hiring 150 nurses to ease staff shortage at various hospitals in the county.

The governor added that his next project after the reproductive health unit one, is setting up a car park for the hospital and its mortuary.