Murang'a expands disability care with new therapy centres

Persons With Disabilities during the Murang'a PWDs day organised by Murang'a county government at Maragua Level Four Hospital on May 29, 2026/ ALICE WAITHERATHERA

Speaking during the Murang’a Disability Day celebrations held at the hospital, Governor Irungu Kang'ata said the county government has adopted a plan of opening new therapy centres in the subcounties through the youth department.

“Today, we have opened one in Maragua for people with disabilities, so if you have occupational therapy needs or have a child with such needs, now you will be able to get the services in Maragua,” Kang’ata said.

The facility becomes the fourth rehabilitation centre established by the county government after similar units in Kirwara, Muriranjas and Kigumo hospitals. They are aimed at decentralising specialised services that have traditionally been concentrated at the county referral hospital.

The newly launched Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy Units will offer disability management, sensory integration, functional rehabilitation, hand therapy, speech therapy, stroke and burns management, as well as developmental support for children.

Kang’ata said decentralising therapy, assessment and rehabilitation services will reduce travel costs for families while ensuring persons with disabilities receive timely care closer to their homes.

For many parents, the launch represents more than an expansion of healthcare infrastructure; it is a source of hope after years of searching for answers and treatment.

A therapy centre for children that has been opened at Maragua Level Four hospital by the county government/ ALICE WAITHERA

“At age three, my daughter would not talk. And that's when our journey started,” Mary Kang’ata said.

Mary is the wife of Governor Kang'ata.

“My daughter is now saying some words; she can follow instructions, ask for food and even fight for herself, something she could not do before.”

Her testimony mirrored those of several parents who shared emotional accounts of raising children with disabilities and developmental challenges.

Josephine Thiong’o said she noticed unusual behaviour in her son when he was only one-and-a-half years old, forcing her to seek help from multiple hospitals before eventually accessing support services.

She said early intervention and support from specialists helped her son make significant progress. She encouraged parents to seek assistance as soon as possible.

Another parent, Wendy Wakesho, said her son was born partially deaf and spent years undergoing assessments before receiving the right support.

Today, she said, the 11-year-old excels in football and mathematics at school, demonstrating the impact of timely intervention and inclusive education.

The event brought together disability advocates, healthcare workers, parents and persons living with disabilities, with speakers calling for greater investment in early diagnosis, rehabilitation and social inclusion.

Director of the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) Norman Kiogora, however, expressed concern over the rising number of autism cases being reported across the country.

He said the institute has assembled a team of researchers and medical experts to investigate factors behind the increase.

“People with disabilities are human beings first and foremost. They must be included in social events; they have feelings and needs,” Kiogora said.

Prosthetic limbs donated to persons with disabilities by Murang'a county government on May 29, 2026/ ALICE WAITHERA

Lawyer Paul Kithaka challenged societal stereotypes surrounding disability, saying persons living with disabilities can excel when given opportunities and support.

Kithaka is autistic and also lives with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia.

He emphasised the importance of investing in early intervention programmes, noting that children who receive support at a young age have a higher chance of thriving and living independently.

Former National Council for Persons with Disabilities chairperson David Sankok praised the county government for restoring dignity to persons with disabilities through the provision of wheelchairs, crutches and other assistive devices.

“For a long time people with disabilities were hidden away, discriminated against and treated as a burden. What you have done today has touched the hearts of persons with disabilities and their families,” Sankok said.

During the event, residents received free multidisciplinary services, including occupational therapy, disability assessments and prosthetic limb support. Assistive devices such as wheelchairs and white canes were also distributed based on individual needs.

The governor also launched a modern 3-in-1 reproductive health clinic equipped with machines for biopsy and ultrasound services, further expanding specialised healthcare services at the facility.

According to the 2019 Kenya National Population and Housing Census, Murang’a has 102,527 persons with disabilities, representing 9.7 per cent of the county’s population.

Most cases involve mobility and visual impairments, highlighting the need for expanded rehabilitation services and accessible healthcare.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

The county has opened four rehabilitation centre at Maragua, Kirwara, Muriranjas and Kigumo hospitals as part of efforts to decentralise specialised services that have traditionally been concentrated in the county referral hospital.

The newly launched Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy Units will offer disability management, sensory integration, functional rehabilitation, hand therapy, speech therapy, stroke and burns management, as well as developmental support for children.