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KU hospital to open 30-bed ICU facility as shortage bites

It will be ready to receive patients by the end of the week, chairperson Mugenda says.

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by john kamau

Counties23 March 2021 - 19:00
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In Summary


  • Mugenda says the current 32-bed ICU facility at the hospital is already full.
  • Health facilities across the country continue to grapple with shortage of ICU beds due to the surge of the third wave of Covid-19.
Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital chairperson Prof Olive Mugenda with Kiambu Governor James Nyoro at Gatundu Level 5 Hospital on Monday

A 30-bed intensive care unit facility will be ready in four days at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital.

KUTRRH chairperson Olive Mugenda confirmed the facility will be open to patients by the end of the week even as health facilities across the country continue to grapple with shortage of ICU beds due to the surge of the third wave of Covid-19.

Mugenda spoke in Gatundu on Monday during a meeting with Kiambu Governor James Nyoro and other county officials over the ongoing collaboration between KUTRRH and Gatundu Level 5 Hospital.

Mugenda noted that the current 32-bed ICU facility at the hospital is already full, adding that more Covid-19 patients are still seeking admission to the hospital.

“Our current ICU unit is full but I can confirm that in three to four days the new facility will be ready to admit patients,” Mugenda said.

Governor Nyoro, who noted that the third wave of Covid-19 is lethal, said the county government early this month opened an eight-bed ICU at Kiambu Level 5 Hospital, bringing the total number of ICU beds in the county to 32.

Nyoro said the county is well-prepared to deal with the third wave, noting that the Tigoni Level 4 Hospital has been set aside to cater for Covid-19 patients.

The county government has improved the bed capacity to 1,000 in its preparedness to tackle the pandemic. It has also procured bulk oxygen for Covid-19 patients.

“Oxygen is the first medicine for Covid-19 patients and we have enough of it. Actually 30 patients in our facilities in Kiambu are on oxygen which we have provided in surplus,” he said.

Nyoro said the partnership between KUTRRH and Gatundu Level 5 Hospital will lead to the hospital’s upgrade to a level six facility.

The county chief noted that under the collaboration KUTRRH will partner with the Kiambu county government to run, manage and upgrade the hospital’s infrastructure and services to reflect those of a level six hospital.

The two institutions will also collaborate on referral and training of personnel.

“Currently, infrastructural developments are being undertaken including expansion of several buildings within the hospital, expansion of the morgue, construction of a modern gate, repainting, construction of a laundry facility and a solar system to light up the hospital,” Nyoro said.

The governor noted that the partnership is aimed at improving health service delivery to Gatundu residents as well as Kiambu at large.

Nyoro said the county government is setting aside additional resources from the conditional grants and county coffers to upgrade Karatu and Igegania level four hospitals.

“Igegania Hospital will be upgraded to a level five to improve service delivery to Gatundu North residents,” he said.

Mugenda said through the partnership, KUTRRH has already deployed 11 nurses and seven doctors to Gatundu Level 5 Hospital.

“We are also partnering on capacity building and research whereby we will train Gatundu Level 5 personnel as well as aid them with our expertise,” she said.

Edited by Henry Makori

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