A new Cuban doctor has been posted in Nyeri county to replace one of the two who fell ill and left he country.
Nephrologist Lazaro Paydres, a kidney specialist, replaced Eisy Cabrera who left in November last year after developing a brain tumour.
Cabrera was also a Nephrologist.
Her departure was a blow to patients seeking kidney treatment at the Nyeri County Referral Hospital, as there is a severe shortage of nephrologists in the country.
Before the arrival of the Cuban doctors, the region had only one government nephrologist who was based in Thika, Kiambu county.
“You must be aware that unfortunately, the nephrologist who had been assigned to our county got a medical complication and was repatriated back to Cuba,” Nyeri Deputy Governor Caroline Karugu said on Wednesday.
She was introducing the new doctor during a UHC capacity building workshop where UHC cards were also issued.
“To replace her, we got this gentleman called Dr Lazaro and he will be stationed at the renal unit at the (Nyeri) County Referral Hospital," Karugu said.
Eisy’s departure had left Diana Rosa, a family physician, as the only Cuban physician in Nyeri until her recent replacement.
The doctors are among 100 specialist doctors imported to Kenya to address a shortage of specialists and build capacity.
The renal unit at the hospital handles 12 to 15 patients daily.
