Construction of Kisumu’s Sh1.3b cancer centre takes shape

Plans to put up Sh1.3 billion cancer centre in Kisumu has taken shape after the county government begun the search for a building contractor.

In an advertisement in the local dailies on Wednesday, the county government indicated that a pre-bid conference is set for March 18, at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital where the centre is set to be put up.

“The interested bidders, tenderers may/can download a set of tender documents with detailed specifications and Bills of Quantities from the county website. International Building Contractors are encouraged to bid,” read the advertisement in part.

On Wednesday, County Director of Communication Aloice Ager said the idea, which was mooted last year, is set to be actualised in the next four weeks when groundbreaking ceremony for the project is set to be held.

According to Mr Ager, the construction is expected to gobble Sh300 million while equipping the facility is expected to cost about Sh1 billion.

With the county government funding the construction work, equipping the facility is expected to be done on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program.

“We have already identified an investor who is willing to equip the facility and recover the money through the money on usage,” said Ager, adding that the recovery will be based on National Hospital Insurance (NHIF) basis, as opposed to patients paying for services from their pockets.

“We do not want to put up a project which will make people suffer further through raising money for medical bills,” he added.

He said already Sh60 million has been allocated for the commencement of the construction work, with the rest set to be raised in the next financial year.