A committee formed to monitor national government projects in Tharaka Nithi County has been impressed with utilization of the multi-million equipment installed at Chuka County Referral Hospital.
The Development Implementation Coordination Committee noted that the machines included a mammogram machine for breast cancer screening, ophthalmological device for eye examination and Orthopantogram for dental assessment.
The committee chaired by County Commissioner (CC), Ms. Beverly Opwora however observed that operation of some machines such as CT-Scan and Digital X-ray were not operational due to lack a three-phase power system.
Speaking to reporters at the hospital on Thursday, Ms. Opwora said the county government had promised to upgrade the power supply to ensure that the idle machines are operational.
“We are impressed with the efforts that county government has put to ensure that the machines are operational and hope that the few will soon start working to benefit of the locals,” Ms. Opwora said.
She asked the county to provide two medical officers who would be trained on how to operate the high definition equipment such as the digital X-Ray machine.
The County Health Executive, Dr. Gichuiyia Nthuraku said lack of three phase power system was also a key challenge affecting operationalization of similar machines installed at Magutuni and Marimanti Sub County hospitals.
We have already procured a standby generator that will ensure there is power supply in event of blackout to avoid inconveniencing patients seeking treatment at the hospitals, Dr. Nthuraku said.
He lauded the national government for the machines noting that patients no longer travel all the way to Kenyatta National Hospital for dialysis, scanning and cancer screening.
By Kenneth Marangu
