Patients seeking dialysis services in Naivasha sub-county have a reason to celebrate after the Naivasha sub-county hospital acquired new dialysis machines and nurses to operate them.
According to the superintendent in charge of the facility, Dr Angeline Ithondeka, the facility received five dialysis machines from the county government under the government sponsored Managed Equipment Services (MES) programme and four renal nurses who have since been attending to patients seeking dialysis services.
Dr Ithondeka made the remarks during a press briefing held in her office at the Naivasha Sub-County hospital on Thursday.
She noted that the number of patients seeking dialysis services were on the rise in the area and added that the machines will change the lives of many patients with the hospital expected to double its operations at its renal unit.
The superintendent further said the facility was currently carrying out five dialysis sessions per day but this would double after getting more renal nurses.
“The dialysis machines have come in handy to assist tens of patients seeking dialysis services and who had been forced to travel for long distances seeking the services,” she said.
Dr. Ithondeka noted that tens of patients suffering from kidney failure had been forced to seek the services from Nairobi and Nakuru which is over 100kms away.
According to her, there were 21 patients seeking to join the list of those being attended weekly in the county facility.
“Every week the patients undergo two dialysis sessions and this is very expensive and taxing to both the patients and the county,” she said.
Apart from the dialysis machines, Ithondeka said that the facility had also received ultra-sound and digital x-ray machines under the MES programme.
Ann Wambui, a mother of three and a patient suffering from kidney failure termed the dialysis machines as a God-sent, adding that the disease is taxing both physically and financially and by bringing the services closer to Naivasha, her problems had been reduced by over 60 percent.
By Esther Mwangi and Vivian Otieno
