Dispensaries in Kirinyaga County, which are currently being built, will be completed by the end of the year, Governor Anne Waiguru has said.
Ms Waiguru revealed this when she inspected Kavote and Mucagara dispensaries in Gichugu Constituency.
The governor said that the two dispensaries are among 19 which the county government is currently building and which are nearing completion, adding that more facilities are lined up for completion as funds become available.
She noted that Kavote and Mucagara dispensaries will benefit about 3,000 residents who currently have to walk for eight kilometres to access the nearest health facilities such as Karumandi and Kabare health centres – for Kavote residents – and Kiamutugu and Kianyaga hospitals for Mucagaraga residents.
Once they are in operation, the dispensaries will offer various services including outpatient, anti-natal and TB services, childcare and pharmacy services.
Patients will also get early detection for ailments that may require further investigation and treatment, for which they will be referred to advanced health facilities.
“With good primary healthcare at our dispensaries, we will reduce congestion at other hospitals and allow them to effectively handle more complex health matters,” said the governor.
Ms Waiguru noted that the dispensaries will save the residents the time taken to seek healthcare services, allowing them to attend to other socio-economic activities.
She noted that even as the county faces challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, her administration’s priority is ensuring that there is access to good healthcare services across the county.
The governor said that her administration has invested heavily in infrastructural development in various health facilities in the county in a bid to achieve universal health coverage.
She cited the county’s the upcoming medical complex at Kerugoya County and Referral Hospital, saying it will be a game changer in the county’s health service delivery. The complex that is expected to be complete by October and will be one of the biggest referral hospitals in the region.
Once completed, the medical complex will have a fully equipped ICU and a high dependency unit with a capacity of at least 15 beds. It will also have an outpatient wing, modern theatres, emergency and casualty department, paediatric, surgical and medical wards, counselling and palliative care units, a pharmacy, CT scan and X-ray. It will have specialist consultations, with a general surgeon among others.
While affirming her commitment to leave a legacy in the health sector, Governor Waiguru said she has prioritised on improving health facilities so as to ensure Kirinyaga residents have access to affordable and quality medical services.
Last year, the county announced that its Health department records showed that it had a high TB burden, with drug resistant cases having increased by 50 per cent between 2016 and 2018. This was attributed to poor adherence to the prescribed regimen.
With the new dispensaries, the county hopes to reduce TB prevalence among Kirinyaga residents through early detection and easier access to treatment.
