A private health facility in Murang’a County has established a renal unit thus giving patients who need dialysis services a big relief.
The renal unit at Family Heritage Hospital will help to reduce suffering of patients who have to wait for dialysis services at Murang’a Level-5 hospital.
Commissioning the unit on Friday, Dr. Kigen Bartilol who is head of referral services in the Ministry of Health lauded the support private facilities are giving in provision of health services.
The hospital installed five dialysis machines which will serve about 12 patients in a day.
The new unit will be the third within Murang’a County after the one in the county referral hospital and another at Kiariani Mission hospital.
Dr. Kigen noted that private hospitals in the country contributed close to 40 per cent in provision of health care underscoring the investment being done to ensure Kenyans get quality health services.
The government, he noted, has lowered the cost of dialysis through the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) encouraging all Kenyans to register with the scheme.
“Previously, when one needed dialysis services, it was perceived as death sentence but now NHIF is catering for cost incurred for the services,” he noted.
“Private hospitals are greatly helping in the provision of the dialysis where the NHIF is footing the bills,” he added.
He further observed that in every county, there is a renal unit and further efforts were being made to increase the number of the facilities.
Dr Kigen took a swipe at some of county governments who were not giving health sector the much needed attention.
He said health is a devolved function and thus county administration needs to allocate more resources to ensure residents get better health care.
“Issue to do with lack of drugs in public hospitals should be a thing of the past. Those in county leadership need to ensure their health facilities are well operating and discharging better services to mwananchi,” he added.
He challenged residents to elect county leaders who would provide better services, especially those of health.
Meanwhile, the official asked Kenyans to observe health protocols aimed at reducing spread of covid-19 saying currently, the country is recording increased cases of coronavirus.
“Kenyans need to avoid contracting covid-19 which is on the rise. Let’s revert to wearing masks and washing of hands among other measures so as to reduce the cases,” he stated.
By Bernard Munyao
