Drones will be used to collect medical samples under a new Sh427 million deal signed between the Uasin Gishu county government and the Israeli government.
The county signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ElsMed Healthcare Solutions from Israel to boost healthcare services in all health facilities in the region.
The money will be used to finance health-related projects for a period of 10 years.
Speaking after signing the MoU, Governor Jonathan Bii termed the move as historic and a major step towards achieving his plan to improve the healthcare system in the county.
The partnership will cover Turnkey laboratory diagnostic solutions systems, medical information technologies and infrastructure services, diabetes and hypertension treatment centre of excellence and the drone support system.
The county chief said that the partnership is a result of the visit by the Israel Ambassador Michael Lotem to Uasin Gishu last year during which the envoy agreed to help finance several health projects in the region.
“We are grateful that the partnership with the Israel team has brought us a major breakthrough in our plans to ensure the people of Uasin Gishu enjoy quality medical services,” Bii said.
ElsMed, which is an Israel medical firm, will under the deal undertake to maintain the equipment services or replace them when obsolete. It will also provide consumables, reagents and other requirements at an affordable price to the county.
"The county shall reinvent the finances generated by the project through the facility improvement of fund bill, which will ensure there is prompt payment of consumables," the governor said.
Deputy Governor John Barorot said that the healthcare milestone was in line with Governor Bii’s Nguzo Kumi manifesto, which includes improving the health services in the region.
The partnership will enable Uasin Gishu County Hospital receive most of the sophisticated equipment to enhance the digital transformation.
Barorot said the project would help the county to monitor supplies of drugs in the facilities.
The project will at first be applied in 23 county health facilities but there are plans to expand it through further engagements, and will be rolled out within the next three months.
The deputy governor said, under the project, Uasin Gishu will make major strides in modernising its health services with latest technology applied.
"We will be using drones to collect samples whenever sophisticated diagnostic equipment is required using the IT format,"he said.
ElsMed CEO Yaron Farachi, who signed the deal, said that the partnership would help save lives because the county would use the best technologies in responding to health complications.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
