The government of Nyeri has started construction of a Level 4 health facility at Magana ward, Tetu subcounty to enhance the provision of health services.
Currently, the residents rely on Wamagana Dispensary to access primary healthcare services, while serious cases are referred to the Nyeri County Teaching and Referral Hospital.
The Level 4 facility is set to cost sh 300 million and is expected to start operations by 2027.
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga said there is a need to invest in providing quality health services to the people, insisting that no society can develop with people in poor health.
He spoke during the groundbreaking ceremony of the new facility.
Kahiga said the county will continue to direct resources to improve critical health care facilities.
“We must prioritise health because it is the midpoint, the singularity around which every other aspect of life revolves. And we should do everything in our power to ensure the bar is set high," the governor said.
"This development marks the transformation of the Wamagana Health Center from a Level 3 to a Level 4 facility. For decades, it has faithfully served the people of Tetu and over time, the demand and workload it has handled has grown to match those of a Level 4 hospital. As long as I am in office, I will ensure this hospital is completed and in operation," he said.
Once complete, the hospital is expected to serve a population of 13,000 residents and handle an annual outpatient workload of more than 38,000.
This transformation will effectively help in decongesting Nyeri County Referral Hospital and other higher-tier health facilities.
Among the amenities and services patients will benefit from in the 150-bed capacity facility is the Maternal and Child Health Clinic, laboratory clinic, specialised clinics, central sterile supply department and surgical operating theatres.
Kahiga said health, being a right enshrined in Article 43 of the constitution, must be provided to all persons and should not be a preserve for a few.
He said it is the responsibility of the government to ensure proper infrastructures are put in place to ensure the health and life of its people are guaranteed.
“This project is a major milestone towards achieving Universal Health Coverage, which is a top priority for my government. In this regard, and upon completion of the hospital, the government of Nyeri commits to providing the requisite staff and medical supplies to guarantee optimal operationalisation and uninterrupted service delivery. The County Government of Nyeri, led by the governor, takes this opportunity to appreciate the efforts taken by the department of health and all other county departments in planning and actualising this project," Kahiga said.
While addressing the County Assembly on December 5 last year, the county boss said strengthening primary health care remains key in the attainment of UHC to each and every person irrespective of his or her socio-economic status.
He said there is a need for counties to focus on primary health care and cautioned that rehabilitative and palliative services are not the panacea in reducing the disease burden currently plaguing the county.
“The county invested in specialised services such as renal dialysis, oncology, ICU, HDUt, diagnostic laboratory and Imaging services for high-level care treatment.
Other remarkable success stories in the health services include: the outpatient attendance increase to 1,638,725 customers across all public health facilities which is an indication of our citizen’s preference to seek health care services in our health facilities.
And the most worth noting achievement is ensuring that all HIV patients were put on ARVs. The County also achieved a viral suppression of 96 per cent. This is an indication of the County’s commitment to treat and reduce HIV/Aids prevalence among county citizens,” he pointed out.
