The Nairobi Metropolitan Services expansion programme of health services has received a major boost after getting donations of medical items.
Most of the items are to ensure high level of protection of health workers in the course of their work and to protect them from Covid-19 virus.
NMS director general Mohammed Badi received one unit of fully equipped Hyundai H1 Ambulance, 500 pieces of full medical protective overalls and 3,000 face guard masks from Caetano Kenya.
Badi said the ambulances will support health care services mainly in informal settlements.
In August last year, the entity started its expansion programme of health services meant to improve health access in the county.
To facilitate transport services for the medical personnel and patients, 34 ambulances were made available by NMS.
Badi said when NMS came into office in March 2020, only 13 ambulances were available in Nairobi and they purchased five more.
Fifteen ambulances were rehabilitated and are now functioning, while the Ministry of Health added one ambulance, bringing the total to 35, inclusive of the donated one by Caetano Kenya.
Also part of the expansion programme includes the rehabilitation of health centres in the city.
In the financial year 2021-22, Sh400 million was set aside for the rehabilitation of existing dilapidated health centres.
The refurbishment work will focus on the county’s 104 health centres in a bid to enhance access to health services at the ward level in the 17 subcounties.
To provide maternity care to mothers and operation services in the city, NMS has started setting up theatres at the Karen health centre, Kibra south centre and Westlands health centre.
There is ongoing renovation of Waithaka health centre while Kangemi health centre is undergoing expansion.
In Langata subcounty, Jinnah clinic is being upgraded to a Level 3 facility, while Lang'ata health centre is being renovated.
A Level 3 facility is health centre run by at least one doctor, clinical officers and nurses.
Services offered include curative, laboratory, antenatal and postnatal, maternity.
Others services include in-patient, dental, pharmacy, TB clinics, diabetes and hypertension clinics and also issuance of referral letters to other facilities.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
