By W, KNA
Mwai Kibaki Referral Hospital in Nyeri has received its first ambulance in a move that is aimed at strengthening emergency response for the Level VI facility.
The fully equipped ambulance, which was donated by the Ministry of Health together with the World Health Organisation, is also expected to improve referral systems and boosts the facility’s response capacity to handle emergency situations.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony on Thursday, the hospital’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr Peter Muiruri, expressed the hospital’s appreciation to the Ministry for the donation. He said the donation underscores the government’s commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure.
Dr Muiruri further noted that the ambulance will play a critical role in saving lives by ensuring timely response to emergencies adding it will also facilitate the transfer of patients requiring specialized care.
“This timely donation is a significant boost to the hospital’s emergency and referral services .It directly supports the realization of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by improving access to safe, timely and quality emergency care for our patients,” stated Dr Muiruri.
The facility offers specialized treatment in cardiology, neurology, urology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, oncology, trauma and orthopedic surgery. The hospital is mandated to receive patients on referral basis for specialised treatment but also serves as the first point of treatment during emergencies.
Mwai Kibaki hospital is also expected to facilitate training for health and allied professions, conduct research which will inform planning by the Health Ministry, support medical innovation and inform policy decisions in the healthcare sector.
Besides Nyeri, the facility serves residents of Embu, Isiolo, Kirinyaga, Laikipia, Meru, Nyandarua, Samburu and Tharaka-Nithi counties.
Since its launch in 2019, it has also played a part in decongesting the Kenyatta National Hospital, the country’s oldest referral hospital.
The donation comes exactly one month after the 350-bed capacity hospital received its first CT scan from the Health Ministry since it was gazetted as an autonomous parastatal in September 2024.
In an interview with journalists last month, the hospital’s Head of Diagnostics, Dr Alfred Gitau, said the acquisition of the radiology equipment would fast-track the provision of services to the patients who would previously be referred to Nyeri town for the services.
“This is a huge milestone for the facility because we shall be able to offer services relatively faster and we shall also be able to offer services similar to those offered by other Level VI facilities like Kenyatta National Hospital and the Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital. Currently we refer about 20 patients to seek these services elsewhere but with the machine, we shall have intermediate intervention,” he said.