The launch of a modern medical laboratory at Loglogo health centre is set to improve access to quality health care to residents of Laisamis constituency in Marsabit County in a big way.
The laboratory constructed and equipped by the Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) company in conjunction with Z. Boskovic Air Charters is intended to avail curative and promotional, and preventive health services to members of local communities.
LTWP new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Max Schiff said apart from the green energy producing firm’s focus on the implementation of community development projects in the water and education sectors, taking quality health care services closer to the people was of major concern.
Schiff noted with satisfaction during the handing over of the facility to the Marsabit county government that members of the local communities would no longer have to travel long distances in search of the important diagnostic service whenever they fell sick.
“This gesture is definitely going to make the access to the desired health services less costly and readily available to the residents of this area,” he said.
The facility was built and equipped at a cost of more than Sh15 million as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) gesture to the community by the company’s Wind of Change (WoC) foundation.
Marsabit County Chief Officer for Health Dr. Adan Alamin said that the devolved unit values partnerships with the private sector and such collaboration helps in speeding up development.
Dr. Alamin termed the availability of the laboratory as a big boost in the provision of health care to the residents adding that the county government would strive to avail not only curative but also promotional and preventive health services.
The Chief Officer thanked LTWP for also donating reagents for use at the facility and pledged that the county government would post the requisite medical personnel including lab technologists at the health centre.
“We acknowledge with appreciation the contribution that Lake Turkana Wind Power is making in the health sector which goes a long way in improving the livelihoods of our people,” he noted adding that it was barely a month after the company handed over a fully equipped male ward at the Laisamis sub-county hospital that cost Sh15.3 million.
The Company Liaison Manager Job Lengoiyap said that the project was demand driven following a public participation exercise saying the ownership assures the sustainability of the facility.
Lengoiyap added that the residents of Laisamis constituency have had to cover many kilometers either to Marsabit County referral hospital, Isiolo or beyond whenever the need for the essential service arose.
The manager urged the county government to post the required medical personnel to the health facilities in the area in order to make them useful to the targeted communities.
Boskovic Air Charters Managing Director Jimmy Kibati said the firm decided to join efforts with LTWP in achieving the CSR initiative because they were business partners.
Kibati pointed out that his organization had realized the big benefits that the local community attached to the project, saying the need for analytical medical services was imperative in order to make the service effective.
“Medical laboratories are critical when it comes to rendering effective health services,” he pointed out saying the aspect of disease diagnosis was a catalyst for not only quality treatment but tames the risk of patients developing immunity against drugs.
Kibati added that the facility would go a long way in offering room for research on chronic illnesses and diseases because it was equipped with modern scientific equipment.
By Sebastian Miriti
