The national government will spend more than Sh2.3 billion on the upgrading of health facilities to level three status, the head of infrastructure development in the ministry of health, Michael Thuita, has said.
Mr. Thuita, who was speaking at Urenga Health Centre in East Ugenya Ward, Siaya County, during the handover of the site for the upgrading of the facility to a level three status, said that the countrywide project will see each of the counties benefit to the tune of Sh50 million each.
The officer said that once complete, the facility will have, among other facilities, an in-patient wing, an X-ray wing, and laboratory wings to enhance service delivery to the local residents.
“This is a national government project, and the upgrade will take 52 weeks,” he said, adding that once they are done, the facility will be handed over to the county government for management.
Thuita called on the county government of Siaya to prepare to upgrade the staff at the facility to enable the residents to fully benefit from the upgrade.
Siaya County Director of Public Health, Kennedy Orwenjo, hailed the national government for funding the upgrade, adding that it will go a long way in improving healthcare services in Ugenya Sub County.
“The paediatric and post-natal wards, together with the theatres, ultrasound, and laboratory services, will go a long way in improving the facility’s ability to deliver quality health care to the residents,” said the director.
He added that the upgraded facility will also provide an opportunity for the Ugenya Kenya Medical Training Centre trainees to gain practical skills.
The head of the facility, Rabin Awandu, said they expect the number of patients seeking services at the facility to improve from the current 1,700 once the upgrade is complete. “We also expect the number of deliveries, which stands at 20 per month currently, to increase,” he said.
Ugenya Member of Parliament David Ochieng, who also attended the handover ceremony, called for a cordial relationship between the national government and the devolved units.
“The Ministry of Health has many things that counties can benefit from, and this can only be achieved when relationships are better and people talk to each other,” said the legislator.
He urged the ministry of health to consider hastening the process of upgrading the facility further to level four once the current upgrade is complete.
By Philip Onyango
