The government has announced plans to upgrade Gatundu Level 5 Hospital to a referral facility. Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha said the ministry will work with Kiambu Government to fast-track the transition process. The upgrade will see the facility join the league of top health facilities such as Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and Kenyatta University Referral Hospital among others.
Gatundu Hospital has partnered with Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital to provide efficient and effective health services. The areas of collaboration between the two hospitals include sharing of human resources, infrastructural development and modernization, and sharing of the development of Health Products and Technology.
Nakhumicha said the hospital will be registered as a national government facility. She said proper consultations have been done and soon, there will be public participation.
I have seen the kind of infrastructure here and I can confirm that this institution should be run by the National Government, Nakhumicha said. We will work together with all relevant bodies including the county government of Kiambu to ensure the transition is done smoothly.
The CS spoke on Wednesday during the launch of the Partnership for Education of Health Professionals initiative. Under the partnership, healthcare professionals will be trained to enhance their capacity to handle NCDs.
Nakhumicha was accompanied by Public Service CS Moses Kuria, Health PS Mary Muriuki, Danish Ambassador Stephan Schonemann, MP Gabriel Kagombe, Novo Nordisk Foundation head Lars Rabien, and other officials.
Patients at the facility expressed their frustrations at the services being offered. They said they are sometimes forced to buy medicine at private chemists or seek referrals at private hospitals.
Nakhumicha said a team will be sent to the hospital to scrutinize the services.
Kurua said that the upgrade was long overdue and will restore sanity and streamline services at the facility.
He said the standoff between Governor Kimani Wamatangi and the national government over the management of the hospital has cost the hospital Sh500 million in grants.
We, however, agreed with my colleague [Dr Nakhumicha] and Treasury PS Chris Kiptoo to revert the money to this hospital. This facility will attract huge funding under the national government that will help improve health services, he said.
Kurua said former President Uhuru Kenyatta upgraded the hospital’s infrastructure to make it a referral hospital.
Kagombe said the hospital has a 12-bed ICU unit that has not been operational for years.
He said the CT-scan, X-ray equipment, renal unit, and other crucial medical appliances are not working due to the management tussle.
The lawmaker urged Wamatangi to facilitate a smooth transition of the hospital management, saying that it is the best way to improve health service delivery to Gatundu residents.
