Kang'ata expands Murang'a Hospital to ease congestion

Murang'a Level Five Hospital has opened a new complex in efforts to improve access to healthcare and reduce congestion.

The facility includes new wards and an outpatient facility that are expected to ease congestion and improve health outcomes.

Governor Irungu Kang’ata said the additional facilities will strengthen the hospital’s capacity to handle the rising number of patients from other counties, to provide better outpatient and inpatient services.

During the unveiling of the multi-million-shillings project, Kang’ata explained that the expansion of the health care programmes was necessary following a sharp increase in patient numbers flocking in search of quality treatment on a daily basis.

“According to figures available, outpatient attendance has risen from 600 to between 1,500 and 2,000 in the past three years, thus overstretching the services,” he said.

The governor who was accompanied by Health CEC Fredrick Mbugua and Chief Officer Eliud Maina, said that the increased demand for services has continued to exert pressure on the hospital’s existing infrastructure, prompting the county government to invest in the construction of additional facilities.

“Murang’a Hospital was planned for 200 inpatients, and at times the figure rises to above 500 patients, leading to massive congestion in the medical wards,” he said.

Maina noted that the new complex has 25 beds, designed to ease pressure on the existing wards.

“Advantages of the new facility include patients being attended to within the shortest time possible through reduced queuing,” he said.