Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka has commissioned two Intensive Care Unit beds to supplement health in the county.
Speaking at Hopkins Hospital after the launch of the Intensive Care Unit on Tuesday, Lusaka revealed that out of the 295 health facilities in Bungoma, 162 are public facilities and 133 are private facilities.
The governor added that the county has been operating with 23 ICU beds.
“We have been operating with 23 ICU beds in the entire county now what we have gotten today makes it to 25, we are still below because when you look at the last census our population was about 1.7 million people there we need more ICU beds to boost health care delivery,” Lusaka said.
The governor also urged investors to invest in the health sector to boost health delivery.
“In Bungoma, we are embracing public-private partnership in the health sector to ensure that we boost the health sector,” Lusaka said.
Further, Lusaka affirmed that the county government in partnership with Health and Sanitation CS Susan Nakhumicha is scheduled to equip the 300-bed- capacity at Bungoma County Referral Hospital that will be launched by President William Ruto during the Madaraka celebrations.
Lusaka acknowledged the efforts by the Hopekins facility towards enhancing primary health care service provision to the residents, rendering his boost.
"This facility will go a long way in bridging the existing gap in our health system. Such efforts are divine and will tremendously impact our health sector,” he said.
Bungoma county Health and Sanitation executive Andrew Wamalwa told the Star that Bungoma is working closely with private facilities to ensure that locals are accessing quality healthcare.
Hopkins Hospital director Ombonye Omweri applauded Wamalwa for partnering with private facilities to render quality healthcare to the residents.
“This is indeed a great milestone we have made today, these ICU beds will not only serve people from this region but also neighbouring counties whenever there is a need for ICU care then they shall attend to them as soon as possible,” Omweri said.
He said that currently, the facility is doing a 3-bed- capacity and a high-dependency unit with 4 beds affirming that there are plans to expand to have more units in the facility.
“This is not the end, plans are underway to have more units in the facility as the hospital also grows to high levels of level V and introducing a doctors’ plaza where we shall have various specialists who will be attending to various patients,” he said.
Ombonye said the public-private partnership is a very crucial entity to ensure that the county government is helped to achieve its healthcare mandate.
Also present was Bungoma county director of medical services Dr Caleb Watta.
