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First World War Hospital Battles to Expand Service
- Details
- Published on Friday, 11 July 2008 17:23
The wing was built at a cost of Sh50 million under a project jointly sponsored by the Government and the hospital through cost-sharing funds. The Government's contribution was Sh24 million. The new wing is named after Medical Services permanent secretary Hezron Nyangito.
The hospital plans to put up wings II and III, with a total capacity of 500 beds at a cost of Sh120 million. With the completion of another 60-bed capacity amenity wing at a cost of Sh18 million last year, the future looks bright for the hospital, previously described as "sick".
Still congested
But the maternity, medical and surgical wards are still congested. Previously, up to four patients shared beds and Dr Nyangito at one time came face to face with the reality when he saw a three-year-old sharing a bed with a 90-year-old woman in the surgical ward.
The worst affected is the maternity wing, the busiest in the country after the Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Nairobi. Here, more than 30 babies are delivered daily, at least 10 of them, through Caesarean section. According to nurses, mothers are discharged prematurely to create room for others. The convalescing mothers share beds, putting them at a danger of contracting contagious diseases. Others sleep on the floor.
"I was told to sleep on the floor to create room for a newly operated mother. The situation here is pathetic and please highlight it so that we get some help," said a mother who asked not to be named. Bed occupancy at the facility ranges between 120 and 150 per cent but sometimes rises to 500 per cent during malaria epidemics. However, malaria outbreaks have largely been contained.
The hospital, which has a bed capacity of 332, handles referral cases from various health facilities in the Gusii region, South Rift and South Nyanza, according to hospital board chairman Mong'eri Mirieri. Most facilities in the region lack essential equipment, including theatres.
The hospital also boasts of the newly completed satellite blood centre and specialised clinics, which were set up by the National Blood Transfusion Services and the Centre for Disease Control at a cost of Sh9 million. The hospital's main challenges include lack of specialised personnel, diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, expansion and equipping existing theatre, kitchen, and laundry, construction of modern outpatient, casualty and intensive care units.
"With the completion of the above, the hospital will provide services consistent with its new status," says Mr Mong'eri. Mr Mong'eri said the hospital had bought equipment for use in various departments to supplement Government efforts. "We have bought equipment in the dental unit, physiotherapy, oxygen contractors and diathermy machine in the theatre." Prof Nyong'o announced that the Japanese government would fund various projects at the hospital at a cost of Sh1.2 billion.
"The project was due to start in January but was postponed due to post-election violence. I'm glad to announce that we are discussing with the Japanese government to ensure the contractor starts as soon as possible," he said. Among the projects to be put up include an ultra-modern outpatient block, X-ray department, casualty department, dental unit, STI clinic, maternity unit, high dependency unity, a theatre and underground water storage.
Already, the outpatient wing and several offices that were condemned have been pulled down in readiness for the new project. To address the chronic shortage of water, the hospital has - at a cost of Sh3.5 million - sunk a borehole which pumps 25,000 litres of water daily, installed 200,000 litre capacity tanks for harvesting rain water, and developed the Masosa Water Project in partnership with Rotary International which provides 50,000 litres daily. The project cost Sh5 million.
Many buildings, which were in a dilapidated state, have already been spruced up, some with complete roof replacement. The hospital's cost-sharing kitty has increased over the years from Sh1 million six years ago to Sh5 million. This is equivalent to 30 per cent of all cost-sharing collections in Nyanza Province.
112,000 patients
The outpatient wing receives about 1,000 patients per day. Every year, 112,000 patients are treated at the hospital. In his speech during the inauguration of the wing, Dr Nyangito said the facility would achieve quality healthcare services in the larger Gusii, South Nyanza and South Rift districts.
The hospital management complains of a 50 per cent shortage of medical staff. "A nurse serves 1-80 patients instead of 1-6. We also face a shortage of doctors," says a source at the hospital which has only six doctors. Dr Nyong'o admitted that there was a shortage but the Government is addressing it. He said doctors were leaving public service for private practice. The hospital was established in 1916 during the First World War to treat wounded soldiers. It now serves three million people.
