Governor Waiguru opens another new dispensary to serve over 4,000 residents
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has opened another new dispensary to boost provision of primary healthcare in rural areas. Kiaumbui dispensary which was opened on Thursday brings relief to Njukiini ward residents who will now enjoy affordable healthcare within close proximity. It will serve about 4,300 beneficiaries who have had to seek health services from as far as10 kilometers away in facilities such as Difathas and Murinduko Health Centers or Embu County Hospital. The main beneficiaries include residents of Mwambao, Kathoge, Kiambui, Mbiri and Piai villages. Kiambui becomes the 7th to be operationalized out of the 20 dispensaries whose completion the County Government has been undertaking.
While presiding over the dispensary’s opening ceremony, Governor Waiguru said that the completion and operationalization of the facility marks a great milestone in her quest for improved primary healthcare provision in the county. “We have been simultaneously undertaking the completion and equipping of around 20 dispensary projects and we have lined them up for launch by August,” said the governor. She noted that when residents have a health facility within proximity, they won’t have to waste time and money in search of healthcare services, which will in turn allow them to attend to other socio-economic activities.
She noted that at the dispensaries, residents will access outpatient services, anti-natal and post-natal services, mother and child health care services, pharmacy and laboratory services among others. “They will also get early diagnosis of ailments that may require further investigation and treatment for which they can then be referred to advanced facilities in a timely manner”, she pointed out.
She noted that with good primary healthcare at the dispensaries, there will be less congestion at higher level health facilities thus giving them to effectively deal with more complex health matters. She added that towards the achievement of universal health coverage, her administration has invested heavily in infrastructural development of various health facilities. She cited her flagship project, Kerugoya Level Five Hospital complex which will soon open its doors to residents. The complex has 342 bed capacity inpatient wing, an ICU, a HDU and an oncology ward. Other amenities include emergency and casualty department, a maternity wing, a cancer unit, modern surgical theatres, pediatric, surgical and medical wards, palliative care unit and a pharmacy.
It also has an oxygen plant from which oxygen will piped to all the beds. The county government is also upgrading Kianyaga and Kimbimbi Hospitals from Level 3 to Level 4 facilities.
