Health CS Sicily Kariuki has commissioned the first CT scan centre at King Fahad Hospital in Lamu. The project cost Sh1.1 billion.
The CS also launched a renal unit and operating theatre. For the first time, patients from the region will access kidney dialysis services. Previously, they were referred to Mombasa or Nairobi.
The equipment was purchased by the national government under the Managed Equipment Service - Tiba Mashinani project launched in 2013 in the 47 counties. Universal healthcare is one of the pillars of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda.
Governor Fahim Twaha thanked the government and said the new units will transform the health sector and improve lives. “Lamu is catapulting to a whole new level. We’re glad the government has held our hand throughout. This is a new dawn for the people of Lamu who thought dialysis could only happen in Mombasa or Nairobi,” Twaha said.
Health executive Anne Gathoni said the new units will reduce the stress and costs incurred by residents.
Kariuki said the equipment wil enable the county to deal with renal medical emergencies instead of making referrals. The government is committed to improved health services to all Kenyans, she said.
Specialists will arrive in Lamu in a week to oversee use of the new equipment and help staff understand it. “Lamu has made history today. No more expensive trips and referrals of patients to far and beyond. This is a major milestone made in the health sector. Our objective is to make health services as easily accessible and efficient as possible,” Kariuki said.
She urged county administrations to swiftly implement community health strategies and tackle communicable diseases to ensure a healthier nation.
Kairuki said her office will dispatch refrigerated storage equipment for vaccines and motorcycles. “This will enable community health workers to reach every child under the age of five for all the necessary vaccines,” she said.
Lamu’s immunisation profile is low at 77 per cent and numbers must be raised to at least 82 per cent for each county, she said.
“If we expedite community health strategy, we can forget about respiratory diseases, diarrhoea and other infectious diseases,” the CS said.
The counties need to come in and train their medical staff so they understand the gravity of the situation and the need to make it better, she said.