Residents of Seme subcounty in Kisumu are set to benefit from expanded access to surgical and inpatient services following the launch of a Sh70 million hospital project by the Catholic Archdiocese of Kisumu.
The proposed 45-bed hospital at Our Lady Help of the Sick Barkorwa Health Centre is expected to be completed within three years. It will reduce the need for patients to travel long distances in search of specialised medical care.
The project was launched on Saturday, with the commissioning of a new operating theatre and the groundbreaking for the construction of the hospital block.
Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kisumu Vincent Odundo said the investment reflects the church’s commitment to healthcare and complementing government’s responsibility to provide medical services.
“The government has the responsibility of providing healthcare. The church comes in to complement and support the government, and that is why we need the partnership, which has always been there,” Odundo said.
He said the expanded facility will make surgical services more accessible to residents who often face the additional cost and inconvenience of travelling outside their communities for treatment.
The bishop, however, raised concerns over delayed government reimbursements to faith-based hospitals, warning that the outstanding payments were putting pressure on their ability to sustain services.
He said church-run institutions had submitted claims for services already provided to patients but were yet to receive the corresponding payments.
“Most of our facilities render services, but reimbursement from the government is not forthcoming. We have submitted claims, but there is no reimbursement,” he said.
Odundo appealed to the government to settle outstanding claims, saying the facilities are seeking payment for services delivered and not financial favours.
He said faith-based facilities continued to treat patients because of their commitment to saving lives and serving communities, even as financial constraints threaten their operations.
The bishop urged the government to strengthen collaboration with religious health providers, noting that their contribution remained important in expanding access to care, particularly in underserved areas.
Superior General of the Franciscan Sisters of St Anna, Sister Mary Beninia Aoko, described the launch as a significant milestone for the community.
She said the initiative had been conceived years earlier, expressing hope that the new operating theatre and hospital block would ease the burden on patients requiring surgical procedures.
“For years, we have had people suffering from different conditions that required operations, but they had to travel far and wide to get those services,” she said.
She said the additional capacity will enable more patients to receive treatment closer to home, sparing them the expense and difficulties associated with seeking specialised services elsewhere.
Seme subcounty health official Were Saima said the hospital will complement existing public facilities and improve access to essential services at the community level.
He said the facility was expected to provide scheduled surgical procedures and caesarean sections once fully operational, helping reduce the workload at Kombewa Subcounty Hospital.
Saima said the hospital will also strengthen the local referral system by providing services closer to residents while allowing patients requiring higher-level emergency care to be referred appropriately.
“This facility is going to help decongest Kombewa Subcounty Hospital and ensure people living in this area have access to quality healthcare right at their doorstep,” he said.
The project aligns with the government’s Primary Care Network strategy, which seeks to link health facilities and improve access to essential medical services within communities.
Saima commended the Catholic Church for investing in local health infrastructure and urged the facility’s management and clinical staff to uphold professional standards and ensure quality patient care.
On the reimbursement concerns raised by Bishop Odundo, Saima acknowledged that technical and administrative hurdles linked to the government’s e-contracting system had affected some health facilities’ compliance processes.
He said the sub-county health management team will help the facility obtain the necessary certifications and documentation to meet the requirements.
Saima expressed optimism that the challenges would be addressed, enabling healthcare providers to resolve reimbursement difficulties and sustain service delivery.
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