Kirinyaga to instal 25 new dialysis machines to boost renal care

Patients undergoing dialysis at the renal centre at Kerugoya Level Five hospital in Kirinyaga county

Kirinyaga government is set to install 25 new dialysis machines to enhance renal care services.

Governor Anne Waiguru said 10 machines will be delivered to Kerugoya County Referral Hospital this week, while the remaining units will be distributed to Sagana, Kimbimbi and Kianyaga subcounty hospitals.

The machines are part of the county’s Intergovernmental Participatory Agreement with the national government under the National Equipment Service Program (Nesp), which replaced the previous Managed Equipment Service programme.

“This transition is not just a replacement but a significant expansion of dialysis capacity that will greatly improve access to specialised healthcare for our residents,” Waiguru said.

The move follows complaints from dialysis patients about the breakdown of most dialysis machines at Kerugoya County Referral Hospital, the only public renal centre in the county.

The hospital had eight machines, but over the past five months, six failed, leaving only two.

This limited capacity forced patients to reduce their treatment hours from about four to two or three hours or seek expensive services from private facilities.

“We sincerely regret the distress caused by the dialysis challenges at Kerugoya Level 5 Hospital,” the governor said.

Waiguru said the county received the eight machines seven years ago under the MES programme, which served approximately 300 patients monthly. Their current poor condition created a significant gap in renal care.

Meanwhile, some patients requiring dialysis have been referred to partner facilities covered by Social Health Authority to ensure uninterrupted treatment and protect families from out-of-pocket expenses.

Waiguru said under Nesp, Kirinyaga has also received modern diagnostic equipment, including a CT scan, a mammogram machine, an ultrasound and digital X-ray machines, which are currently being used at the Kerugoya Referral Hospital.

“We reassure Kirinyaga residents of our commitment to providing uninterrupted, high-quality and affordable healthcare. Strengthening our health infrastructure remains central to our development agenda,” the governor said.

Kirinyaga is among leading counties with a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes—major causes of kidney failure.

Last year, the county recorded 2,998 new hypertension cases, down from 3,760 in 2023. Health officials estimate more than 80,000 residents live with hypertension, though only about 17,000 are currently receiving treatment.

During World Hypertension Day celebrations in May, the county said it allocates Sh83 million annually to treatment of NCDs, with Sh58 million dedicated to managing hypertension.

Nationally, about 1.8 million Kenyans suffer from chronic kidney disease, a condition characterised by gradual loss of kidney function over time.