Relief as Sh600 million out-patient wing ready

A view of Margaret Kenyatta Mother Baby Wing at Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Construction of the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital’s new Sh600 million state-of-the-art out-patient department, is complete.

According to Dr Joseph Mburu, the medical superintendent in charge of the facility, the project that started in June last year, is expected to welcome its first patients this month. 

It is among three other key infrastructure development projects that the hospital is undertaking at a cost of more than Sh2 billion.

Dr Mburu said the influx of patients from neighbouring counties has forced Nakuru County government to expand its health infrastructure in the past two financial years.

Each day, at least 2,000 patients are reviewed at the out-patient department while another 800 are in-patients.

High demand

“High demand for specialised healthcare within Nakuru and beyond has necessitated expansion of services at the facility,” Mburu said.

Other than Nakuru, residents of Kericho, Nyandarua, Samburu, Laikipia, Bomet, Baringo and Narok will also benefit from the health services.

The complex will offer emergency services, imaging, minor surgeries, laboratory, dental and eye services. The wing will have consultant doctors at a consolidated area.

Other equipment at the facility include CT-Scan that serves an average of 25 patients daily, 13 theatres, 6 Intensive Care Units, 3 High Dependency Unit and 10 pediatrician ventilators.

Currently, at least five major surgeries and at least 10 elective surgeries are performed at the hospital per day. Patients with kidney-related ailments will also receive dialysis at the renal unit which has 16 machines, with capacity of serving between 40 to 60 patients daily. 

Among facilities being upgraded include Molo, Elburgon, Gilgil, Naivasha Olenguruone, Githioro Dispensary, Njoro, Bahati and the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital. The project is funded by the national government while the county is the implementer under Universal Health Coverage initiative.

“Upgrading, equipping and employing adequate human resource will help us reach a bigger population,” said county chief officer of public health, Samuel King’ori.

Also established at the facility is a Sh500 million radiotherapy machinery for cancer treatment.

The hospital is the second largest in the rift region after Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret.