Murang’a county is constructing new health centres and dispensaries in rural areas to decongest the Level 4 and 5 health facilities.
Governor Irungu Kang’ata said his administration is renovating and improving service delivery in a number of health centres to ensure only referral cases are dealt with at Level 5 facilities.
“Currently our Level four hospitals including Maragua rural, Muriranjas, Bildad Kagia and the county Level 5 facility located in Murang’a town, have been receiving a huge number of patients and a majority of the cases can be handled in health centres and dispensaries,” Kang’ata said.
The government is targeting to construct 80 new dispensaries, to bring to a total of 200.
This will ensure the locals have access to primary health care.
“In the current financial year, we have allocated Sh180 million for rehabilitation and construction of health facilities and an additional Sh300 million for procurement of drugs. Even though the money is not enough I will ensure it is prudently utilised,” the governor said when he launched Kiangage dispensary.
The administration is working to complete two hospitals; the Kenneth Matiba Level 5 facility in Makenji, Kandara sub-county and Kigumo Level 4 facility.
“Opening of Kenneth Matiba hospital will be in less than two weeks. The hospital is being relocated to a newly constructed building in the Makenji area from rented premises in Kenol. The facility will serve the residents from the counties within Murang’a south region.”
The county is also sourcing for insurance companies that will provide medical cover for the vulnerable households listed under the Kang’ata Care health programme.
This, he said, is due to the shifting from NHIF to Social Health Insurance Fund which does not cater for the enhanced scheme.
“The NHIF has a specialised medical cover and benefits package which have been abolished in the SHIF. Therefore we have no option other than to source for the same cover from a private entity.”
NHIF provided for enhanced cover, including last expense to the beneficiaries.
With SHIF’s structures, the provision cannot be catered for by a normal subscription.
“The other option we have is to pay extra money for the special package for more than Sh20,000 households registered in the Kang’ata Care programme, which may not be sustainable due to the budgetary allocation for the health docket.”
Kang’ata Care was established early last year, where vulnerable families were listed to access enhanced medical care and last expense cover in a partnership between the county and the NHIF.