Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru’s investment in grassroots healthcare is
quietly reshaping the county’s health landscape, bringing critical services
closer to families who for years bore the burden of distance and high costs.
In Baragwi ward, the new Kiandai dispensary is already proving to be a lifeline. Once, residents like Purity
Wakuthii had to set aside precious money for transport to Kianyaga town
whenever illness struck. Today, she simply walks to the dispensary near her
home.
“It has really changed our lives. We just walk in whenever we need treatment,
saving both time and money,” she said.
The dispensary now caters to over 2,400
residents, with nurse-in-charge Beth Njeri reporting an average of 40 patients
daily seeking outpatient consultation, laboratory services, family planning,
and maternal and child healthcare.
In Kiine ward, the story is similar at the Kiandangae dispensary, where up to 50
patients are treated each day. According to nurse-in-charge Antony Muriuki, the
facility serves nearly half the ward’s 6,000 residents, saving them an average
of Sh300 in transport costs.
With 95 per cent of essential drugs in stock, the dispensary has already
registered 21 per cent of expectant mothers for antenatal care, signaling a
major stride in maternal health.
Governor Waiguru, who has pledged to complete
20 dispensaries across the county, says the goal is simple: universal health
coverage.
“We know we are delivering real change. Families are saving time and
finances, mothers are accessing antenatal care close to home, and children are
getting immunised on time. This is the essence of universal health coverage,”
she said.
The ripple effect goes beyond individual
households. By easing access to care, the county is steadily lifting the hidden
costs of healthcare on families, while reducing preventable deaths linked to
delayed treatment.
Residents Regina Watiri and Rose Wairimu describe the new facilities as
a “blessing,” noting that care is no longer something to postpone or avoid.
The expansion of village dispensaries is part
of a broader healthcare upgrade that includes raising Kerugoya hospital to
level five status and expanding Kimbimbi and Kianyaga hospitals to level four.
Collectively, these investments are positioning Kirinyaga as a county where
healthcare is not just a distant promise but a tangible, everyday reality.
Today, between Kiandai and Kiandangae alone,
close to 100 patients are attended to daily — thousands each year whose lives
are touched by a system once out of reach.
Kiandai dispensary nurse-in-charge Beth Njeri attends to a patient on August 26, 2025/ALICE WAITHERA
