An X-ray machine supplied by the National government to the Makindu Level 4 Hospital under the Managed Equipment Services programme is yet to be put in use to serve residents due to lack of power supply.
According to the County Director Health Commodities and Technologist, Dr. James Kanyange, the machine issued in 2016 is of high voltage and cannot be operated by the current power supply at the health facility.
However, Dr. Kanyange said that the department of health has already paid Kenya power money to boost the power supply to ensure the X-Ray machine is operational.
“We paid Sh. 6.6 million to Kenya Power to boost supply for X-Ray machines for Makueni Referral Hospital and Makindu Level4 hospital. For Makueni the power has been installed and the machine is running but we are still waiting for power installation for Makindu,” he said.
Dr. Kanyenge said this during a County Development Implementation Coordination Committee (CDICC) chaired by the Makueni County Commissioner (CC), Maalim Mohammed in his Wote boardroom on Thursday.
He also revealed that the health facilities have a shortage of radiologists to operate the machines.
When contacted for comment, the Makueni Kenya Power Manager, Josphat Lango said that the boosting of power supply at the Makindu health facility requires some infrastructural works which the county government has not put in place.
He said that Kenya Power was waiting for the county government to construct a power house to install a transformer that will boost the power supply.
“We have already given the designs of the power house to the county government. The transformer is ready,” said Lango.
Other equipments that were provided to the Makueni Referral hospital under the programme include dialysis machines, central sterilised machine, theatre equipment, skull unit and digital mammography and orthopantomogram that were in good working condition.
Also a CT scan machine will be installed at the Makueni referral hospital by the end of March 2019 and is expected to cut costs.
On his part, the CC called for collaboration between the national and the county government and other non-state agencies in the county.
Mohammed also urged residents to enrol in National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) which provides a comprehensive medial cover in facilities across the country.
By Patrick Nyakundi
