Retired President, Mwai Kibaki has consented to a request to have Othaya hospital re-named after him.
Consequently, the health facility which is due to be elevated to a level six hospital will be known as Mwai Kibaki Teaching and Referral hospital.
The Nyeri Governor, Mutahi Kahiga on Tuesday told residents of Kieni West that renaming of the hospital was meant to honour the fourth president of independent Kenya.
“We have Moi Teaching and Referral hospital and others named after prominent people. It’s high time we honoured our own,” said the governor.
Othaya hospital is undergoing a major expansion that will see the facility elevated to a Level 6 hospital with a modern cancer treatment unit.
Last week, the Health Principal Secretary, Peter Tum visited the Sh. 1 billion facility constructed by the national government and other support groups to assess the progress of the expansion works.
The state of the art hospital is equipped with high class modern health machines, among other facilities and is set to act as a regional referral center from Level 4 and 5 health facilities and will be operational in three week’s time.
“Specialized doctors and other health professionals will be posted to this (Othaya) hospital which we expect to serve neighboring counties of Laikipia, Kirinyaga and Murang’a,” said the PS.
The governor said the county had received Sh. 780 million which he said would be used to supply drugs and medical equipment to all health centers across the county.
The money will also be used to expand Narumoro hospital to a Level 4 facility.
Kahiga lauded the partnership between his government and the national government, which he said had enabled the county access the funds to equip local health facilities to enable them cope with the increasing population.
The county chief named cancer and diabetes as the major diseases that have impoverished local people, owing to their high cost of treatment adding that the upgrading of the Othaya hospital will enable residents access cost effective treatment.
By Kiamah Wamutitu