Residents of Ngang’a village in Mwea constituency, Kirinyaga County, will enjoy affordable healthcare rights after the county government opened a new dispensary in the area.
Umoja Dispensary which was opened on Tuesday now offers the much needed relief for residents who have been travelling long distances in search of healthcare services.
The dispensary will serve about 4,500 locals from Ngang’a, Umoja, Mbingo-ini and Kiandegwa villages. The beneficiaries previously travelled more than five kilometers to get to the nearest public health facilities such as Rurii-Kiandegwa dispensary or Mutithi and Ciagini Health Centers.
While presiding over the dispensary’s opening ceremony, Governor Anne Waiguru said that the completion and operationalization of the facility marked a great milestone in her quest for improved primary healthcare provision in the county.
“We have been simultaneously undertaking the completion and equipping of around 20 dispensary projects and Umoja is one of the six that we have recently operationalized, with the rest being lined up for launch in the next two months,” said the governor.
She noted that when residents have a health facility within proximity, they won’t have to spend time and money in search of healthcare services, which would in turn allow them to attend to other socio-economic activities.
She noted that at the dispensaries, residents will access outpatient services, anti-natal and post-natal services, mother and child health care services, and pharmacy and laboratory services among others.
“They will also get early detection of ailments that may require further investigation and treatment for which they can be referred to advanced facilities in a timely manner,” she pointed out.
She said that with good primary healthcare at the dispensaries, there would be less congestion at other hospitals that can be left effectively to handle more complex health matters.
The governor added that towards the achievement of universal health coverage, her administration has invested heavily in infrastructural development and equipping of various health facilities.
By Mutai Kipngetich
