Dr. Dickens Lubanga, a paediatrician at Bungoma County Referral Hospital/COURTESY
Bungoma Children’s Hospital has expanded its facilities in a bid to strengthen care for babies battling chronic diseases in the region.
Some of the common chronic diseases that attack children include: asthma, diabetes (most children are affected by Type 1), congenital heart problems, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), cystic fibrosis, spinal bifida and hydrocephalus, childhood cancer and sickle cell.
Speaking to the press during the launch of the new storey building that would accommodate the facility, Dr. Dickens Lubanga, a paediatrician at Bungoma County Referral Hospital (BCRH), said that initially, the facility was providing inpatient services with a bed capacity of 10 beds.
Further, Dr. Lubanga noted that the new building would host a capacity of 80 beds, with 10 private wards and 4 semi-private wards.
“We have also put up a small centre on top of the building that would provide play therapy for our children because we believe that a healthy child should be able to play,” he added.
Lubanga also mentioned that a huge number of children in the region miss school because of the chronic illnesses that attack them.
“Chronic diseases like sickle cell are rampant in Bungoma and that is why we have decided to expand the facility so that we can help in controlling the menace,” Lubanga said, adding that the community needs children who would later come and take up from the current generation.
Bungoma Children’s Hospital's new facility./COURTESY
He confirmed that the hospital is now equipped to conduct sickle cell screenings, unlike before, when samples had to be sent to Eldoret for testing.
He emphasised the importance of premarital sickle cell screening as a key strategy in reducing the prevalence of the disease.
“Sickle cell is a genetic disorder that is entirely preventable if couples get tested before marriage. This allows people to make informed decisions about their reproductive health,” he said.
Dr. Lubanga pointed out the long-term challenges of raising a child with sickle cell disease.
“Caring for a child with sickle cell from birth to adulthood is not only demanding but also financially draining. They require constant medication and frequent hospital visits,” he explained.
He noted that the disease can affect nearly every part of the body, adding that intensified screening can help families avoid such struggles by choosing compatible partners.
“We want our children to live long and healthy lives, not to die prematurely from a disease we understand and can control. That’s why we urge couples to seek early counselling and testing before starting a family,” he noted.
He revealed that currently, the hospital is managing many sickle cell patients.
He added that managing sickle cell disease can cost between Sh6,000 and Sh10,000 per month to cover treatment, hydroxyurea, and vaccinations.
Dr. Lubanga also said to boost service delivery, the facility has collaborated with other hospitals in Eldoret and partners to procure advanced diagnostic equipment, adding that more specialists would be dispatched to the facility.
“We have spacious walls designed with children's comfort, complete play areas, and family-friendly spaces,” he said.
Dr. Lubanga decried fewer health specialists, noting that Bungoma only has five paediatricians covering a population of more than 2 million people.
“We have enough consultation rooms here so that we don’t take our patients to Eldoret as has been the norm,” he noted.
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