The Ministry of Health is committed to the attainment of Universal Health for all Kenyans.
This, according to health Cabinet Secretary Ms Sicily Kariuki is one of the components of the Jubilee government’s big four agenda to spur economic transformation in the Country.
Kariuki who was speaking at the Thika Level 5 Hospital during a ground breaking ceremony for a multi-million CT scan project noted that a healthy nation is one of the pillars of economic development.
This, Ms Kariuki said informed the need to ensure that Kenyans attain high standards of health within the devolved system of government as guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.
The CS revealed that the Ministry of Health has been spearheading the implementation of key flagship projects at both National and County level aimed at providing specialised services by strengthening referral services and capacity building through infrastructure development and equipping of public health facilities.
The CS said that the national government will work with county governments to equip all level 5 hospitals with state of the art CT scan machines so as to reduce congestion at the referral hospitals while at the same time ensuring that patients get quality services from public health facilities countrywide.
She called for cooperation from the Council of Governors adding that under the initiative to improve and install CT scan services, the national government has signed a contract with Neusoft Medical Systems and Chinese Megascope Healthcare to supply and install CT scan centers and train staff from all the 47 counties while at the same time providing maintenance and repair.
Ms Kariuki pointed out that already the first batch of 11 radiologists and radiographers are en-route to China for training as the installing of the scan machines is on-going to ensure sustainability.
The Cabinet Secretary who was accompanied by the Kiambu Governor Ferdinard Waititu, Thika MP Eng. Patrick Waianaina (wa Jungle) said that in-order to enhance access to health services in line with the Universal Health Care the cost of obtaining the CT scan services from hospitals across the Country will be subsidised through the NHIF cover adding that all stakeholders should marshal countrywide registration into the scheme.
The Thika level 5 hospital CT scan set up is set to be operational in the next 6 weeks.
By Lucy Wangai
