Butere cancer hospital to start admitting patients next month

Will open initially for cancer treatment and diagnostics.

by hilton otenyo

Coast25 June 2019 - 12:15

In Summary

• Hospital is part of the proposed Sh200 billion Mwale Medical and Techno City under construction in Lunza.

•Kakamega residents on referral by the county referral system to be treated for free.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board registered the facility on Thursday last week to operate as a private hospitalment offi ces in Kakamega town /HILTON OTENYO

The Hamptons Hospital in Butere, Kakamega county, will begin treating patients next month.

The facility is part of the proposed Sh200 billion Mwale Medical and Techno City (MMTC) under construction in Lunza, Butere.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board registered the facility on Thursday last week to operate as a private hospital. It was issued with certificate No 39532.

Lead investor Julius Mwale on Tuesday said licensing of the hospital gives the green light to the completed Advanced Cancer Treatment and Diagnostics Centre to begin taking appointments for chemotherapy patients.

“The hospital will open the doors to the public on July 25. The hospital will open for cancer treatment and diagnostics. Other departments will be opened as their construction is completed,” Mwale said.

“We are hoping to begin with treating 1,000 cancer patients a month. We've been instructed to construct heart, diabetes and renal departments, and we shall be accredited once they are complete."

The hospital will treat Kakamega residents free of charge on referral, he said.

He said the county government approved the project and "we used the recommendations from the relevant department before seeking registration by the board".

Former Health CEC Maurice Siminyu is the hospital CEO.

A US cancer scientist Dr Mark Rosenberg will be a director of the cancer centre while Dr Wilberforce Wanyanga consults for the Pharmacy department of the hospital, Mwale said.

The project has been embroiled in controversies with the county government over compliance issues.

In December 2016, Mwale moved to court to block the county government from demolishing the proposed city on grounds that he did not obtain approval for the project from the government.

In August, Mwale had drawn up a memorandum seeking a partnership with the county government, but the government insisted that he must first obtain required approvals for the project before any deal.

Edited by R.Wamochie