- The institute is touted to be a centre of excellence and a game changer in the management of kidney diseases in the region.
- The objective of the institute is to improve expertise and strengthen specialized care services for Kenyans and the East African region.
The East Africa Kidney Institute is expected to be officially opened in September.
The institute is touted to be a centre of excellence and a game changer in the management of kidney diseases in the region.
The building is estimated to cover a floor area of approximately 22,000 square metres spread over six storeys; a basement, ground floor and four storeys above.
The centre located along Ngong Road and next to Kenyatta National Hospital, KMTC and UoN college of Health sciences will be a centre of excellence for biomedical research, teaching and treatment with a special focus on nephrology and urology.
“For the institute that opens in September, we will need staff. We know the treasury can provide staff but I am not sure it can provide everything, we will need people to volunteer to come and teach even without pay,” the institute’s director Prof Peter Mungai said
“This institute is not just going to be about dialysis and renal replacement and transplantation, we have also got cancer which is among the leading causes of death in this country; Prostate, cervical and other cancers will also be handled at the institute.”
Once it becomes operational, the institute will serve the entire continent and is expected to host a 45-bed dialysis department, a 20-bed critical care area, a next-generation image diagnostic area, laboratories, support outpatient services and two floors with rooms to accommodate 160 patients.
The centre with a ‘Y’ shape has been designed to accommodate teaching facilities and healthcare facilities in a symbiotic relationship.
The objective of the institute is to improve expertise and strengthen specialized care services to Kenyans and the East African region as well as reduce the burden of chronic kidney disease through the enhancement of promotive and preventive interventions.
“Through this vehicle and other initiatives the government seeks to increase the human resource workforce in this space,” health CS Susan Wafula said.
The centre also seeks to provide high-quality regional-based renal health services and in turn stem outward referrals to foreign countries.
The institute will also strengthen healthcare referral services and attract medical tourism to the country while at the same time promoting quality research in medical specialities and maintaining a registry on renal conditions.