Vihiga county government has constructed 19 health facilities in a bid to boost healthcare for the residents in the past four years.
The County Director for Heath Services (CDHS) Dr Eric Sikuku said the putting up of the health infrastructure has enabled the county to meet the World Health Organisation’s recommendation that people should at most cover five kilometres to reach a health centre.
“The county currently has 43 health facilities including three hospitals, 18 health centres and 22 dispensaries,” he told this reporter in an interview on Tuesday.
Sikuku added that his department has also hired 163 health workers in various cadres so as to ensure the patients are properly attended to.
The county entered a partnership with Fistula Foundation (FF) last October that saw a free fistula treatment service launched at the Vihiga County Referral Hospital (VCRH).
Dr Maureen Okango, who is in charge of the service, said they have mobilised the Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) to reach out to the patients across the county so that they avail themselves for the rectification of the disorder.
Dr Okango said they have so far attended to five cases and they expect more to come as the service is open to even outsiders. The medic said the FF provides medical supplies as well as technical support in this deal.
She said they first receive the patients for screening and upon discovery that they need admission, they are booked for the service on a later date.
By Sammy Mwibanda
