Anisa says county has consultants and 54 doctors who are undergoing intensive training out of the country
The Sh680 million Kilifi Health Complex will start operations in March next year, Health executive Omar Anisa has said.
The facility, being constructed by the county government is aimed at transforming medical services in the county.
During an interview with the Star on Friday, Anisa said phase one of the construction of the ultramodern facility in Kilifi town is in the final stages.
Phase one of the project will cost Sh400 million while phase two will cost Sh280 million.
Anisa said the complex will have a fully-fledged cancer unit, a trauma center and an emergency unit. It will also have a diagnosis center, digital x-ray, mammogram to screen breast cancer, pet scan for screening prostate cancer and radiotherapy.
''We will have diagnosis so that we discover cancer early enough. Currently, cancer patients come to hospital when the disease has reached stage four which makes it difficult to treat," Anisa said.
Anisa said cancer has become a disaster with at least four patients admitted every week with the diseases. The conditions range from throat, breast, colon and cervical cancer.
"We have our own research unit and we are collecting data to get the exact statistics on cancer in Kilifi. The new machines will guide us to know the most common cancer," she said.
Cervical is so far the most prevalent cancer in Kilifi, followed by that of the breast and prostate.
Anisa said the county has consultants and 54 doctors who are undergoing intensive training out of the country. The specialists will return when the complex starts operations.
"Most of them went to study trauma and oncology which are related to cancer treatment while others are studying pathology."
An Intensive Care Unit will be based on the first floor of the four-storey complex to reduce the number of referrals to the Coast General Hospital in Mombasa.
It will have a six-bed capacity ICU and a High Dependency Unit will a similar capacity.
"We are also constructing three theatres including cardiac cauterization lab to handle heart diseases."
The fourth floor shall have semi-private wards for patients that require privacy.
''We shall also be having male and female surgical wards so that those who undergo operation shall not have to go to the old general wards but be housed within the new complex,'' Anisa said.
The entire project is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.
Anisa said Kilifi has had challenges with communicable diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhoea although cases have reduced.
''Currently, HIV, tuberculosis and malaria cases have gone down. We are dealing with road accidents which are very common," she said.
She said it least one admission of a road accident victim has to be made at the Malindi, Kilifi, or Mariakani hospitals.
"The wards are full of road traffic accident victims which is worrying because some have very serious head injuries, some have broken legs and hands."
edited by peter obuya