Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital is to be elevated to a level six hospital after the County Governor Kiraitu Murungi unveiled a new hospital board chaired by the former Kenyatta National Hospital Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Prof. Jotham Micheni.
The 8- member board was appointed and published in the Kenya Gazette after its establishment by the County Assembly through the enactment of the Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital Board Act, 2019.
According to Governor Kiraitu, the hospital will soon start operating as a government parastatal, handling referrals from within and outside Meru.
It will also be tasked with training doctors in collaboration with institutions of higher education such as the Kenya Methodist University (KEMU), and training professionals in nursing and other health science to ensure the County has adequate healthcare personnel in both public and private facilities.
“The institution will also go a long way in dealing with the upcoming developments such as the ongoing establishment and development of the Meru Cancer Centre,” said Governor Kiraitu.
He expressed confidence in Prof. Micheni and his team, noting that his enormous wealth of experience and expertise, having worked to successfully turn around Kenyatta National Hospital for the better, would come in handy to ensure that Meru County has a premier healthcare facility that would deliver top-notch services to the people of Meru, and reduce the hectic, expensive and painful journeys to Nairobi.
He also called on the new management of the hospital to align itself with all matters of institutional governance including, finances to ensure that the resources available were prudently utilized to deliver the best for the people of Meru and beyond.
“The leadership of Meru County, as well as the residents, have a lot of hope in you and you should not at any time betray their trust. Work to your level best and consult where you feel you are stack since this is the only way we can work as a team for the benefit of our people,” said Governor Kiraitu.
By Dickson Mwiti
