Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Rashid Aman commissioned some medical equipment at the Spinal Injury Referral Hospital.
Speaking during the commissioning at the Hospital, Aman said the equipment donated by the Kenya Deposit Insurance Corporation (KDIC) will go a long way in helping to restore the lives of people seeking medical assistance. “For those of you who may not be aware, Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) are very devastating, if not fatal,” said the CAS.
Aman said, victims are affected physically and mentally and find themselves with challenges that affect the various aspects of their lives.
He said that care for persons living with SCI is very expensive both in the healthcare settings, rehabilitation centres and in the community thus impacting not only the person injured but also the family and the community at large.
“It is for this reason that I want to commend KDIC who today are donating three patients’ monitors and four orthopedic beds which will go a long way in improving the spinal care and reducing the hospital stay for patients here,” said Aman.
He said the collaboration from private partners complements the Government’s effort of ensuring there is accessible and affordable healthcare for all.
Aman noted that the facility had been in existence since 1944 and had even taken care of war veterans as well as the general public adding that it started as a private institution and has grown into a public institution under the Ministry of Health.
He said the government intends to have the facility grow even further to become a centre of excellence in Africa, with the support of partners and other stakeholders such as National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), National Transport and Safety Agency (NTSA), National Council of Persons with Disability (NCPWD), and Association of the Physically Disabled in Kenya (APDK).
He assured the staff that the government will support them with the appropriate infrastructure and equipment.
Aman appealed to all Kenyans to take extra precautions to guard themselves against any injuries, particularly that which could affect their spinal cords.
By Catherine Muindi
