Mbagathi Hospital on Tuesday yet again celebrated another historic achievement after successfully conducting the first ever complex reconstructive plastic surgery.
The surgery was conducted on a 29-year-old patient who had sustained multiple tendon, nerve and vascular injury of the left hand in, Nairobi County.
The surgery, which involved repairing fractured bones and tendons, was a success, and the patient has since regained the use of his hand.
“These achievements mark significant strides in healthcare, promising enhanced medical services and improved patient outcomes for the Nairobians,” Alexander Irungu, CEO of Mbagathi Hospital, said.
The surgery was performed by a team of surgeons led by Dr. Chaudry Areeb, a Plastic and Reconstruction Surgeon.
Irungu said the milestone has been achieved thanks to the goodwill of Governor Johnson Sakaja who he said has rolled out several initiatives in the health sector for the benefit of the citizens.
“With the support of infrastructure, refurbished theatres, upgrading of our labs and installation of CT scans, we have introduced many services since Governor Sakaja took over,” Irungu said.
With improved services at Mbagathi Hospital, Irungu says that they have somewhat decongested the national hospitals which were relied on by many for key services.
He said many patients used to wait for long to receive specialized treatment owing to scarcity of equipment.
“Most of the patients who relied entirely on national hospitals for surgeries are now able to be treated at the Mbagathi Hospital,” he said.
“We are now able to do neurosurgeries, complicated orthopaedic surgery procedures, plastic and reconstructive surgery, ENT, eye surgeries, gynaecological procedures and many others.”
To boost service delivery in hospitals, Sakaja brought in a new management model by introducing the position of Chief Executive Officers who are experts in managing hospitals.
Mbagathi is one of the hospitals that has benefitted immensely from the transformation.
In February, the facility performed its first micro facial surgery, a delicate procedure that required highly skilled surgeons to repair facial injuries.
In December 2023, the hospital conducted Kenya's first cementless total hip replacement surgery, a significant milestone in orthopaedic surgery.
The procedure, ideal for younger patients with good bone density, uses a ceramic hip in an uncemented replacement, offering smoother, more durable, and scratch-resistant results.
“These advancements were made possible by the hospital's modernized theatre, a result of transformative initiatives during Governor Sakaja's tenure,” Irungu said.
“Furthermore, the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Mbagathi has been upgraded, increasing its capacity from 20 to 90 beds.”
Irungu highlighted that this expansion allows the hospital to attend to more mothers and newborns each day.
To boost service delivery, Sakaja changed the leadership structure of Level 5 hospitals in Nairobi by introducing a CEO position above the medical superintendent.
Each Level 5 hospital now has a new board and a chief executive officer, with the superintendent serving as the deputy.
“These changes aim to bring significant improvements in service delivery, which I believe have been successfully achieved,” Sakaja said.
“These developments are part of my administration's strategy to enhance service delivery and operations at county hospitals.”