Juja residents can now heave a sigh of relief after the Kiambu County government began construction of a Level 4 Hospital in the area.
The facility will be a first of its kind in the constituency, and will be an upgrade of the current Gachororo health centre.
Governor Kimani Wamatangi said construction of the 200-bed capacity Juja Level 4 Hospital will cost Sh210 million, and is expected to transform the provision of healthcare services for Juja subcounty residents, as well as the entire county.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, Wamatangi said the hospital will be a comprehensive medical hub, comprising an outpatient wing, inpatient facilities, a radiology department, administration offices, a maternity wing and two surgical theatres.
“We will also put up a fully equipped medical laboratory to bring the services closer to Juja people, and bring an end to their trips to other far-flung facilities in search of the services. The inclusion of specialised wards for paediatrics, females and males at this facility, will complete the general outlook of the hospital,” Wamatangi said.
The county chief was accompanied by the County Executive Committee Member for Health Services Dr Elias Maina, Chief Officer Dr Patrick Nyaga, County Assembly Majority Leader Geoffrey Mucheke (Kalimoni Ward), MCAs Jeremiah Kiama (Juja), Moses Muiruri (Theta), Patrick Mwiberi (Witeithie) and Eric Ndung'u (Uthiru).
He said once complete, the hospital will not only address the prevailing healthcare gap in Juja, but will also ease the workload at Gatundu and Thika Level 5 Hospitals, which are currently facing an influx of patients.
While reiterating his administration’s endeavour to transform the county’s healthcare services, Wamatangi said supply of medical and non-medical supplies in all Kiambu health facilities will be streamlined upon completion of the county’s Central Medical Store at Ruiru Level 4 Hospital.
The governor said the region has for a long time suffered from unreliable supply of drugs and non-medical supplies, blaming it on the lack of a Central Medical Store to receive and manage the supplies, as well as coordinate their distribution to health facilities across the county, monitor usage and make timely orders.
The storage facility is on the verge of completion and it will ensure reliable supplies to our health facilities, avoid low stock levels or expired drugs, ensure value for money, and ensure uninterrupted sustainable health services provision.
Wamatangi also disclosed that his administration is installing the Hospital Information Management System, to monitor healthcare services delivery to Kiambu residents, including monitoring medical supplies availability in all county health facilities as well as medical personnel.
At the same time, the governor reiterated that the Kiambu Afya Healthcare Scheme—a programme he launched in collaboration with the National Hospital Insurance Fund—is transforming health services access and delivery across the county.
In the first phase of the project, which offers affordable healthcare packages to its recipients, the County government has already paid premiums for over 70,600 households, ultimately benefiting more than 300,000 individuals.
With Kiambu Afya, residents already enrolled in the NHIF programme will gain access to inpatient services at accredited government hospitals across the country. Outpatient care is also included in the package.
“The programme offers enhanced coverage for chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. It also allocates Sh100,000 to the family of a registered beneficiary in case of demise, to cater for funeral expenses,” the governor said.
Meanwhile, Nyaga said a children’s wing will be put up at Juja Level 4 Hospital to cater for the growing number of children seeking healthcare services in the region.
“The facility will offer 24-hour services including emergency services and we believe it will transform healthcare delivery in this region,” Nyaga said.
The Hospital Board Chairperson Susan Waititu hailed the project as a transformative one, especially in the promotion of maternal health care.
She said putting up a modern maternity wing at the facility is a shot-in-the-arm for Juja mothers, who have for long been forced to seek services in expensive private facilities or travel to Thika or Gatundu.