Kiambu residents have welcomed the move by Governor Kimani Wamatangi to construct new hospitals at a cost of Sh1.5 billion saying it will ease the burden of traveling long distances to access health care.
Speaking during the launch of Karuri Level 4 hospital which is a health center constructed at a cost of Sh 210 million by Governor Kimani Wamatangi administration, John Kimani a resident of Karuri ward in Kiambaa lauded the county efforts to construct hospital but urged it to ensure the facilities are well equipped.
"The biggest challenge in our hospitals is lack of medicine or equipment where we are forced to access them from chemists or private hospitals. We appreciate the efforts by the county government but urge when they construct and upgrade our hospital they equip it well," Kimani said.
Githunguri MCA Joseph Muhinja who chairs the county assembly committee on health said Kiambu hospitals have an 80 per cent retention on medicine but the challenge is that not all drugs for all ailments have been stocked.
"Our hospitals have medicine but the challenge is that we have not stocked medicine for all ailments," Muhinja said.
He said as an assembly committee, they will do their oversight roles and ensure the construction of the new health facilities meet the Ministry of Health standards.
Governor Wamatangi said his administration has money to build the health facilities, adding that every facility launched has no reason to stall until completion as all contractors will be paid promptly.
"I will not borrow money to build the health facilities as we have the money and we have set aside Sh1.5 billion. We have engaged contractors and we will pay them promptly upon completion so they have no reason to stall the projects. I give them eight months to complete the projects," Wamatangi said.
He said his administration aims at ensuring all wards in the county get at least one health facility. This will comprise of an outpatient wing, a maternity wing, a laboratory and a mini theatre.
The governor said the county government is upgrading both Karuri and Gachoro health centers to Level 4 hospitals at a cost of Sh210 million each. They are also reviving stalled Githunguri, Lari, Bibirioni, Wangige and Thogoto Level 4 hospitals after paying pending bills which had forced contractors to abandon sites.
Among the new Level 3 hospitals that are being constructed include Ndenderu, Gitothua, Kiawaroga in Limuru, Kiamumbi, Ndumberi, Kawaida, Kahawa Sukari, Kahawa Wendani, Gitaru, Athena in Thika, Kawaida and Mwihoko at a cost of Sh50 million each.
The county boss reiterated that his government will ensure all health facilities will be equipped and will have the necessary medicine.
He said they have set up a health management system to connect all 114 facilities in the county for proper management and effective monitoring of service delivery.
This includes the ones being constructed and that this will ensure each facility is adequately supplied so that, if stocks run low, the system will be able to notify for replenishing