County opens a theatre in Gilgil hospital

The Nakuru government has opened a multi-million theatre at Gilgil Sub-county Hospital, making it the first ever public facility in the town.

For years, pregnant women and other patients in need of surgery have been forced to travel to Naivasha or PGH in Nakuru.

An hour after the ultra-modern facility opened its door, a team of six medics led by Dr Phillip Mwangi conducted the first caesarian operation where they helped deliver a boy.

According to Health executive Dr Kariuki Gichuki, the new facility will alleviate the suffering of area residents and especially pregnant women.

Speaking after visiting the theatre, Gichuki said the county was in the process of constructing a modern maternity wing in the hospital.

“We are excited following the opening of a new theatre in Gilgil sub-county and this will serve hundreds of patients from neighbouring regions,” he said.

He noted that it was an uphill task to transfer critical patients in need of operations to either Nakuru or Naivasha.

He at the same time added that plans were underway to open a similar facility in Elburgon sub-county in the coming financial year.

“The county is keen to address the issues of health and we have made sure that the Gilgil theatre has adequate staff and medical equipment to serve residents,” he said.

He said plans on the proposed Sh300m modern outpatient wing at Naivasha Sub-county Hospital were at an advanced stage.

In December last year, President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered KENGEN to provide the funds that will be used to construct the hospital.

Gichuki said in line with the President’s order, the power company would carry out independent procurement using the laid down procedures in law.

“We are going on with the project that will make the hospital the biggest referral in the region serving three other counties,” he said.

Gichuki said the three-storey building will have a maternity,a theatre, an outpatient, trauma and emergency wing and a training wing that will be used to train interns working at the facility.

Gilgil MCA Jane Ngugi praised the move to open the theatre in the town noting that residents had gone through untold suffering for years.

“We have had cases where mothers lost their babies while been transferred to other hospitals but this theatre will help save tens of lives,” she said.