The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) will, from next week, camp in Kakamega to supervise the construction of a Level 6 hospital and to complete it within a period of six months.
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa welcomed the National Government’s intervention and collaboration with the County government to complete the Hospital, whose construction stalled three years ago.
Governor Barasa said the County government has allocated Sh300 million to top up the Sh500 million that the National government has committed to complete the facility.
The 750-bed Hospital is expected to provide jobs to 5,000 people, promote medical tourism and provide learning and practical exposure to medical students.
He spoke when he received the Principal Secretary (PS) for Medical Services, Ouma Oluga, and his Defence Counterpart, Dr Patrick Mariru, who were on an inspection tour of the facility.
Dr Mariru assured the Governor and the people of Kakamega that KDF will supervise as Kakamega residents take part in the construction works.
“KDF will come to supervise work at the facility, but those who will provide labour are people from Kakamega. In the next six months, some people will get their daily bread from the construction of the facility,” the PS noted.
Dr Mariru said that although people from Kakamega will greatly benefit from the hospital, it remains an important facility for the whole country.
“I want to confirm the hospital will be done on time, in the required standard and within the set budgets; there will be no jokes around here,” the PS added.
The Principal Secretary (PS) State Department for Medical Services, Ouma Oluga, said that once complete, the government will equip the facility, which will be commissioned by President William Ruto, to start offering health services to the people.
He said equipping the hospital will be done through a programme known as the National Equipment Support programme, under which equipment is provided at no upfront cost to the facility but is paid for by the government each time a patient uses it through a health equipment financing model known as ‘V for Service’.
Oluga said that since it is the government that pays for the equipment every time it is used, the role of the patient is to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA) and start making their contributions.
The PS noted that the government is firm on ensuring that every Kenyan is able to access medical services in any hospital regardless of its level.
“Every single citizen has the right to seek medication in any hospital without being worried about how much money he/she has and that is possible if all of us will register in the social health authority fund,” the PS added.
He noted that the government has set aside Sh21 billion in SHA to cover citizens across the country to access medication without straining their pockets.
Out of the amount, Sh13 billion will be sent to dispensaries and Level Four hospitals to cover primary healthcare.
The remaining Sh8 billion has been set aside to cover costs of chronic illnesses such as treatment of cancer, surgeries and dialysis.
“Here in Kakamega we are doing well; we are about 48 per cent but there are 52 per cent who are yet to register with SHA, so if you have not registered with SHA, what are you waiting for? The importance of this fund is to ensure that there is no one who is left behind,” he noted.
The PS also assured residents that they are allowed to make their contributions to SHA through instalments and are not limited to contributing on a yearly basis.
By Jedidah Mumia and James Ingusu
