Governor proposes new Sonko Pumwani Maternity Hospital

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko with acting county health executive Charles Kerich and other officials during a meeting on the proposed Sonko Pumwani Maternity Hospital and College of Nursing and Midwifery, September 21, 2018. PHOTO | COURTESY

By  NATION REPORTER

What you need to know:

  • In a post on his official Facebook page on Friday, the governor said they found a "permanent solution to the crisis" after meeting a consortium that proposed to put up a new 450-bed hospital.
  • The governor said the contract for the hospital will be signed on September 25 and that the groundbreaking will take place on November 20 ahead of opening in two years.
  • He said that at Sonko Pumwani, surgeries will be offered alongside immunisation, diagnostic and 24-hour emergency services.
  • Regarding Pumwani Hospital, Mr Sonko said he met Aga Khan University Hospital will help.

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has announced plans for a "new look" 'Sonko Pumwani Maternity Hospital and College of Nursing and Midwifery' that he says will stand next to the troubled facility in Nairobi County.

In a post on his official Facebook page on Friday, the governor said they found a "permanent solution to the crisis" after meeting a consortium that proposed to put up a new 450-bed hospital. Mr Sonko said the company also proposed a 250-bed hospital in Mutuini.

FACILITIES

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The governor said that at Sonko Pumwani, surgeries will be offered alongside immunisation, diagnostic and 24-hour emergency services.

"The new 10-storey Sonko Pumwani Maternity hospital, which will stand side by side with the old hospital, will [have] a paediatric Intensive Care Unit (ICU), an adult ICU, a High Dependency Unit, staff quarters, laundry and all necessary facilities," Mr Sonko said.

The hospital, that will cover a total area of 39,699m2, will also have a labour ward, delivery suites with four fully functional theatres and a post-natal ward.

Mr Sonko further said the newborn unit will have 100 incubators, a neo-natal ICU and HDU as well as 30 breastfeeding rooms.

There will also be an antenatal ward with 60 beds, an acute gynaecology section with 50 beds, a gynaecology theatre, hostels for mothers with babies in the nursery, a mortuary and post-mortem services.

Other facilities that will be provided are a laundry room, a hospital kitchen, ambulance services for mothers and a county insurance desk for residents.

The governor said the contract for the hospital will be signed on September 25 and that the groundbreaking will take place on November 20 ahead of opening in two years.

"It is expected to ease congestion at the old hospital," he said.

AGA KHAN HELP

Regarding Pumwani Hospital, Mr Sonko said he met Aga Khan University Hospital's top team for temporary solutions.

The team agreed to that Aga Khan will provide additional doctors, nurses and support staff, at no cost, for two years.

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