Kiambu equips 32 new hospitals ahead of opening

The County Government of Kiambu has begun equipping its newly constructed 32 hospitals, which are expected to ease congestion in existing facilities by increasing bed capacity by 1,600 beds and improving access to quality healthcare services.

The Governor Kimani Wamatangi-led administration, through the Department of Health Services, has already advertised tenders for the “equipping and operationalisation” of some completed six-level four and 26-level three facilities.

According to the governor, equipment procurement and installation are at an advanced stage. The work is expected to be complete by the end of this financial year, with plans to ensure all new facilities are commissioned and opened to the public.

“We didn’t want to buy and install equipment one piece at a time. Instead, we chose to install everything at once so that when the hospitals open, they can start serving people right away. That process is at an advanced stage since the tendering was done in January, and we expect that in the next two to three months, these facilities will start receiving patients,” Wamatangi said.

The tenders appeared on the county’s website, as required by procurement law.

The level four hospitals, which have been constructed in the last three years, are Thogoto in Kikuyu and Rukuma in Lari, Bibirioni in Limuru, Karuri in Kiambu Sub-County and Gachororo in Juja at an approximate cost of Sh210 million each.

The identical level four facilities, already complete, are expected to be comprehensive medical hubs comprising outpatients, inpatient facilities, radiology departments, maternity, two surgical theatres, and male, female, and pediatric wards with 180 beds in each facility.

The level three facilities, each costing between Sh50 million and Sh80 million depending on the scope of work, also have similar features, including outpatient and inpatient wings, a 26-bed maternity wing, a 10-bed general ward, a six-bed general ward, laboratories, and a theatre.

“In line with the World Health Organisation's recommendation that no one should have to walk more than five kilometres to access healthcare, that is why we want to have a level four facility in all our 12 municipalities and also prioritised construction of 26 new Level 3 hospitals across the county,” said the County Executive Committee Member for Health Services, adding that the county had renovated 28 existing dispensaries and upgraded them to level three facilities.

Completed level three facilities include Ndeiya in Ndeiya Ward, Gichuru in Sigona Ward, Gathiga in Nyathuna Ward, Uthiru in Uthiru Ward, Gitaru in Gitaru Ward, Kiawaroga in Limuru East Ward, Ndenderu (Ruaka) in Ndenderu, Ndumberi in Ndumberi Ward, Kahawa Sukari in Kahawa Sukari, and Ndarasha in Theta Ward.

Further, recognising the importance of well-equipped facilities, the devolved administration has invested over Sh500 million in medical equipment, including ultrasound and X-ray machines, dialysis and endoscopy machines installed in existing facilities, and others earmarked for the new hospitals.

For over ten years since the advent of devolution, Kiambu County's public hospitals have grappled with dilapidated infrastructure and outdated medical equipment that keeps breaking down, forcing patients to seek key services from expensive private facilities near public hospitals.

This had also made patients vulnerable to exploitation by some medical professionals who conspire with proprietors of private clinics to fraudulently pressure patients into seeking critical tests such as dialysis, endoscopies, scans, and X-rays in private clinics near public hospitals.

According to Chief Officer for Health Services, Dr Patrick Nyagah, the county had also procured and installed ultrasound and advanced digital X-ray machines for Gatundu, Thika, Kiambu, Lusiggetti, Lari, Ruiru, Nyathuna, Karuri, Tigoni, Kihara, Igegania, Wangige and Kigumo hospitals, as well as dialysis machines for Thika and Gatundu hospitals.

"By this, we (Kiambu) will be the first county to have more than 14 X-ray machines in the same territory. And they are all brand new," Dr Nyagah said, adding that Wangige Level Four Hospital, which was completed several years ago, was in the process of being equipped.