Murang’a County administration has rolled out a series of urgent measures to address a sharp rise in patient numbers at the county’s main referral facility.
In a public notice issued, Governor Irungu Kang’ata revealed that the Level-5 hospital is currently attending to between 1,500 and 2,000 outpatients daily.
At the same time, inpatient admissions have hit 500 stretching the hospital to its full bed capacity.
The surge, according to the county government, is largely due to expansion of the hospital infrastructure and enhanced service delivery at the facility, which has attracted more patients, including those from neighbouring counties.
“We have noted a huge surge of patient numbers in the last few months at our Level 5 facility. While this reflects growing confidence in our health services, it has also placed significant pressure on our systems,” indicated Kang’ata in the notice.
The county’s health department warns that the increased demand has stretched staff and facilities, prompting the county to take immediate steps to maintain quality care and ensure positive clinical outcomes.
Among the interventions introduced is the reorganisation of staff within the casualty department to improve efficiency in handling emergencies.
The county has also recalled medical personnel who were on leave to boost workforce capacity during this critical period.
To further streamline operations, marshals have been deployed within the hospital to guide patients and manage movement, helping to reduce congestion in key service areas and in addition, new wards have been opened to accommodate more patients.
The county Level-5 facility is also strengthening linkages with Level-4 hospitals across the county to help decongest the referral facility.
According to the notice, laboratory and radiology departments have been upgraded to operate on a 24-hour basis, ensuring patients receive timely diagnostic services.
Despite these measures, staffing challenges remain a concern with plans to recruit additional personnel limited by budget constraints.
The county executive has appealed to the county assembly to fast-track the approval of a locum policy that would allow temporary hiring of healthcare workers during peak periods.
Residents have been encouraged to seek medical services at nearby facilities to reduce the burden on the Level-5 hospital.
These include Muriranja’s level-4 hospital, as well as Mukuyu and Kiangage dispensaries in the Kiharu constituency, which have recently been reinforced with additional medical staff.
“We urge patients to cooperate with our healthcare workers as we work to stabilise operations and ensure quality care for all,” read part of the notice.
The county government remains optimistic that the combined measures will help restore balance within the health system while sustaining the improved standards that have attracted more patients to its facilities.
By Bernard Munyao
