The first ever Intensive Care Unit in the Western counties of Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma and Vihiga counties since independence will be in place in two weeks.
Patients from the region requiring emergency attention are currently referred to either the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu or the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
The unit is being assembled at the Kakamega County General Hospital which handles referrals from Busia, Vihiga and Bungoma counties.
Hospital administrator Samuel Waweru yesterday said the unit is part of the Managed Health Equipment Project by the national government supplied to 94 hospitals across the country.
The package included radiology, theater and MRI equipment. Waweru said installations will be complete in a week.
“The ICU will be ready to take the first patient in two weeks,” he told the Star in Kakamega yesterday.
Waweru said the staff who will work at the unit will be trained starting next week.
Installation of the unit delayed because the building in which it was to be installed, had to be renovated. However, the renal unit, theater, X-ray and the MRI are functional.
Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya was one of the county bosses who signed the contentious contracts with the Ministry of Health for the equipment.
Majority of Cord governors initially resisted signing the contracts arguing they were never consulted.
The Kakamega government in June commissioned construction of a Sh6bn teaching and referral hospital in Kakamega town.
The Kakamega County Teaching and Referral hospital will be used by the school of medicine being established at Masinde Muliro University.
