Sh168m paediatric hospital to cut baby deaths

The construction of a children’s hospital to reduce child deaths has begun in Kisumu’s Seme sub county.

The 100-bed capacity Kombewa Paediatric Hospital and Research Centre is being built by funding from Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis International at a cost of Sh168million.

It's equipment estimated to cost Sh60million will be done by the county government.

Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o broke ground for its construction on Tuesday.

On completion the hospital is expected to significantly help in lowering the death of children before age five (infant mortality) which stand at 79 for every 1,000 births.

It will feature a newborns ward complete with incubators, a ward for children between five to 12 years and a general children and mothers’ clinic.

It comes at a time when congestion at the Kombewa sub county hospital was blamed for many of these deaths, which result majorly from cross infections, according to officers from Norvatis.

It creates 100 more beds at the overstretched facility whose ongoing construction will see a maternity unit completed by July and an obstetric gynaecologist employed.

The new hospital becomes the second such facility in Kisumu after Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital’s Obama Ward.  

“Babies’ immunity is weak and are susceptible to cross infections in general and congested wards. Having a unit specifically for them is a big step,” said Novartis head of social business Dr Nathan Mulure.

The hospital, will serve as a research centre for malaria, meningitis and sickle cell anaemia.

Nyong’o said the hospital will also arrest maternal mortality at a high of 595 per 10, 000 births in the county.