Murang’a county is putting up a five-storey orthopaedic wing at Kirwara Health Centre in Gatanga.
The centre will cater to patients with bone diseases from the county and Central region, many of whom are forced to travel to Kijabe Mission Hospital.
Governor Mwangi wa Iria, who inspected the centre on Friday, said it is due for completion next month. The hospital will be renamed Kirwara Orthopaedic General Hospital.
He said many residents suffer from arthritis and back problems.
Many of these conditions go unchecked for long periods as most are unable to access services, he said.
The centre will have the of 100-inpatients and will also have an oxygen plant.
“All the machines required are being procured to ensure no patient will need to travel to Kijabe for treatment again. From now on, patients from other areas will be coming to us and get treatment at a subsidised rate,” Wa Iria said.
He said his administration is in communication with Indian orthopaedic hospitals for guidance in establishing the centre.
The county government is also looking for extra land near the facility to expand the hospital to level 4 status.
The governor said the centre will boost the local economy with the influx of patients from other areas.
“They will need to eat and other social services that will grow Kirwara shopping centre,” he said, adding that medics are being employed.
The county government is also establishing a 200-bed cancer hospital at Murang’a Level 5 Hospital. The centre will be in a seven-storey building and will have the equipment required for inpatient cancer treatment,
“Right now, most health facilities offer outpatient cancer services, which are very expensive and inaccessible to patients from poor families,” he said.
It will be completed in December and will ensure residents no longer have to travel to India and other foreign countries for cancer treatment, he said.
Both projects are being constructed by county engineers and local labour to reduce costs.
“We want to upgrade our health facilities to ensure no one will go to another county or coountry to seek any form of treeatment.. From now on, it is patients from other counties who will be coming to us,” he said.
In April, the county established a 35-bed Intensive Care Unit at the county referral hospital in preparedness for Covid-19.
Edited by R.Wamochie
