Nyamira County Referral Hospital is set for a Sh1.7 billion upgrade under a partnership between the county and national governments aimed at expanding infrastructure and improving access to specialised healthcare services.
Governor Amos Nyaribo, speaking in Nyamira on Wednesday, said the project would involve expanding hospital infrastructure and equipping new units to strengthen the facility’s capacity to provide specialised medical services.
He said the county government had already signed an agreement with the national government to facilitate the implementation of the project.
According to Nyaribo, the upgrade is expected to double the hospital’s operational capacity and bring it closer to meeting the standards of a Level Six healthcare facility.
“We will have specialised clinics at our referral hospital. This will drastically reduce referrals,” he said.
The governor said improving healthcare delivery remained a key priority of his administration, noting that access to quality medical services had featured prominently in his campaign manifesto.
He challenged critics who had accused his administration of making little progress in the health sector to visit the facility and assess the improvements made.
“Doubting Thomases who stay in Nairobi and other towns believe that nothing good can come out of Nyamira under my leadership,” he said.
“I challenge them to visit Nyamira Referral Hospital and see how we have given the facility a facelift in terms of infrastructure, medical equipment and service provision.”
Nyaribo also assured residents that his administration would strengthen the supply of essential medicines in public health facilities.
He said the county had allocated Sh500 million to the Nyamira County Revolving Drugs Fund to support the availability of medicines across its hospitals.
The governor cited partnerships with development organisations and private sector players, including Safaricom, as part of efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure amid resource constraints.
He said the county was working with the national government to modernise Masaba North Sub-County Hospital in Keroka town.
His administration has also partnered with the Safaricom Foundation to construct mother-and-child hospitals at Nyangena and Nyasiongo, among other healthcare facilities.
Meanwhile, construction of the Mother and Child Unit at Nyamusi Level Four Hospital is underway, with Nyaribo saying the facility is expected to be ready for commissioning in about a month.
The county is also recruiting additional medical personnel to strengthen service delivery across public health facilities.
The governor challenged hospital board members to ensure proper management of the facilities under their supervision and the prudent use of public resources.
He further warned medical staff against absenteeism, saying patients should not be left without care because healthcare workers fail to report for duty.
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