• Nyeri leaders say the facility will be operationalised next week.
• President to preside over the official launch later.
Image: EUTYCAS MUCHIRI
Nyeri leaders are upbeat that Othaya Level 6 Hospital will be commissioned next week.
Othaya MP Gichuki Mugambi told the Star on Wednesday the hospital is now fully equipped and will start receiving patients on Tuesday next week.
Specialists and other staff have been hired and the facility is ready to start running, he added.
"We met yesterday (Tuesday) and agreed that we shall be visiting the facility on Friday to do a dry run so it can start receiving patients next week," he said.
The MP said Health CS Sicily Kariuki and Nyeri elected leaders are expected at the facility that Friday.
Mugambi said the Health ministry approved that the facility is ready to receive patients.
President Uhuru Kenyatta will later preside over the official launch once it starts operating.
The hospital, he said, will be serving seven counties — Nyeri, Laikipia, Isiolo, Meru, Marsabit, Kirinyaga and Murang’a.
The news is good music to the ears of Nyeri residents who have waited for more than 10 years for the completion of the facility.
The commissioning was disclosed during a meeting on Tuesday. Sicily, her ICT counterpart Joe Mucheru, Lands PS Nicholas Muraguri and Central regional commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga and Nyeri leaders attended.
Governor Mutahi Kahiga said, “This is a great relief to our county health system as it will help in absorbing the many referral cases in Nyeri Referral Hospital and ease the burden of patients seeking specialised medical services in other hospitals such as Kenyatta National Hospital.”
The meeting discussed the progress of the UHC and the way forward in ensuring it is effectively implemented and sustained.
"As the Nyeri leadership, we take this earliest opportunity to thank … President Uhuru Kenyatta for ensuring this, among other many projects in the county, come to fruition," Kahiga said.
Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu said the hospital will ease the influx of referrals at the Nyeri County Referral Hospital in Nyeri town. The county facility receives referrals from surrounding counties, among them Kirinyaga, Muranga and Nyandarua.
Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua said they evaluated the UHC programme in the county.
"Whereas we appreciated that the programme had made some positive impact, we brought to her [Health CS]) attention that laboratory and imaging services were unavailable and patients were still being sent to private service providers," he said.
Kieni Mp Kanini Kega said Othaya Level 6 Hospital will play a key role in rolling out the UHC programme.
The Tuesday meeting was also attended by MPs James Gichuhi (Tetu), Anthony Kiai (Mukurweini) Rahab Mukami (women representative) and Nyeri deputy governor Caroline Karugu. It was a follow-up to a leaders meeting on Saturday at the regional commissioner’s offices in Nyeri Town.
Construction began during President Mwai Kibaki’s tenure but stalled after his retirement before it was revived by the Uhuru administration.
(Edited by F'Orieny)