The Uasin Gishu County government has initiated a health programme that will benefit the most vulnerable members of the community, including the elderly and people living with severe disabilities.
Over the weekend, more than 2,000 residents of Langas Ward benefited from a free medical camp organised by the county under the programme dubbed ‘Koti Healthcare’.
Speaking during the launch, Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii, nicknamed ‘Koti Moja’ during the last general elections, said, as promised in his ‘Nguzo sita’ manifesto, his administration would concentrate on diagnostic health services and equipment to ensure the most vulnerable members of the community get early diagnosis and specialised treatment.
“Most of the very vulnerable in our communities, especially those above 70 years of age and PLWDs, do not have the money to seek specialised services, but through the Koti healthcare programme, they will be able to access such services,” he said.
The governor added that under the programme, the elderly over 70, the vulnerable, severe PLWDs, and the neediest families would be enrolled in the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to enable them to access healthcare services.
The County Clinical Services Chief Officer, Dr. Paul Wangwe, said that healthcare practitioners from private and public health facilities in Eldoret participated in the first free medical camp where services and drugs were provided at no cost.
“All health services, including gynaecology, psychiatry, ENT, ophthalmology, and orthoptics, were offered during the medical camp that healthcare providers gave as part of their corporate social responsibility,” he said.
Dr. Wangwe said that the free medical camps would be undertaken in all six sub-counties, targeting the vulnerable and those in the interior parts of the county who cannot access health facilities easily.
By Kiptanui Cherono
