Medical services received a major boost in Bungoma County after the National government in collaboration with a local Rotary organization, donated medical equipment to store and transport vaccines.
Governor Kenneth Lusaka received medical equipment worth over Sh50 million including the refrigeration van and a cold room from Rotary Club at Webuye County Hospital.
The State Department of Health Services gave out emergency medical equipment. The donations are aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery across the county.
Lusaka said the equipment would go a long way in boosting immunization coverage across the county. "This donation is a major boost to our county health system. We remain committed to strengthening healthcare services for every resident of Bungoma," Lusaka noted.
The governor noted that the refrigeration van will be used to transport vaccines to peripheral health facilities, helping raise immunization uptake in remote areas, while the newly acquired cold room has the capacity to store over one million vaccine doses at a time.
"The cold room will help us since we have been relying on neighboring Kakamega but this will serve this region. Dental services will also be improved after receiving modern dental equipment," Lusaka noted, adding that they are equipping Webuye Hospital because it is very strategic and is on the highway and in case of accidents, casualties are always rushed there.
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Rotary Club of Bungoma Magharibi Project Service Director Roy Wafula reaffirmed the club's dedication to the partnership with the county government.
"We remain committed to working with the county government, and together we will continue saving lives. The refrigerated van, which has a cooler ranging 2 to 8 degrees Celsius for vaccine storage, will help the county reach patients for immunization services in villages," Wafula said.
He noted that with such intervention, the special vehicle which carries vaccines of up to 3 tons will help reduce cases of children dying due to lack of immunization.
"Child mortality will be reduced by 20 per cent across the county. We have also brought a cold room which will store up to 1 million doses of vaccines. Bungoma has never had a cold room to store vaccines," he noted.
The County Health and Sanitation Chrispinus Barasa hailed the collaboration, saying it would significantly improve immunization uptake in the county.
"This partnership with Rotary Club will help us reach more children and mothers with life-saving vaccines," Barasa said.
Webuye County Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. David Wanikina said the equipment will help the hospital respond to emergencies, to prevent diseases.
“We have also seen infrastructural development that are going to help us respond better to patients in critical condition. This is a legacy that is going to change Webuye county hospital and Bungoma County in terms of health services,” Wanikina noted.
Webuye East MP Martin Pepela who also serves as the Deputy Chairman of the Health Committee in the National Assembly said the equipment will strengthen health services in Bungoma county adding that Malaha accident which claimed over 15 lives made them realise the hospital was ill equipped and could not handle emergencies and accidents victims.
"We made a promise to equip and support the facility with equipment of Sh.50 million. With this support we are optimistic the hospital will now have the capacity to handle emergencies, “Pepela noted.