News Categories: Health and Sanitation

The County Government of Nandi has received drugs worth 80 million shillings from Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).

The medical supplies were delivered by the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) as part of the 2018/2019 back order. The drugs received will last the county until September.

Chief Officer for Medical Services Dr. Paul Lagat reiterated the commitment of the health department towards availing the best pharmacy services to the population seeking for health services in Nandi.

The Chief Pharmacist Dr. Andrew Kisang said that measures have been put in place for commodity security and accountability.

On his part the County Director for Health Dr. David Bungei pointed out that he has directed all health facility committees and in charges to minute all drug deliveries and maintain up to status stock cards.

The consignments will be distributed to all health facilities in Nandi after a thorough inspection by the hospital supply chain managers.

The National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) Board has lauded the County Government of Nandi for the strategic role it plays in ensuring that residents get quality healthcare services.

The high profile delegation led Wycliffe Omnchei and Lattif Shaban were on a one-day official visit noted that the County leadership has greatly streamlined processes which makes it easy for patients to access NHIF services.

The team whose key mission was to deepen existing partnership and identify new areas of working partnerships, was impressed by the efforts done by the county government.

Health and Sanitation CEC Ruth Koech informed the NHIF delegation that the partnership between the County Government has with the agency is of great importance and that the county values its work to the residents through the health facilities.

The delegation asked the county department of health to record challenges faced and furnish NHIF for attention.

Also present were the NHIF Rift Valley Regional Manager Valentine Morogo, CEC member for Administration, ICT and e-government Triza Morogo, Chief Officer Medical Services Dr. Paul Lagat, Chief Officer Preventive and Promotive Services Sally Kemboi, County Director of Health Dr. David Bungei, Director of Operations, Finance and Planning Dr. Philemon Bureti, Kapsabet County Referral Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Daniel Kemboi and his Nandi Hills County Hospital counterpart Dr. Joseph Kangor among other officials.

Appropriate infant and young child nutrition is critical for proper growth and development. In order to promote optimal nutrition at an early age, the department of health and sanitation is engaging community health committees and facility committees on their role in successful implementation of Baby Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI) in various community units to address poor breastfeeding practices.

BFCI is a low cost intervention. It drives a community’s accountability for their own health, that is, demand for services at link health facilities.

The link facility should be referring clients to mother to mother support groups and vise versa to address the 1000 days thus improve maternal and infant child nutrition.

During a one day workshop held in Kapsabet town for community health committees, facility committees and other leaders from Mosop and Aldai Community Units, the members agreed to spearhead the activities which are being carried by the Community Health Volunteers within the community.

The department of health is committed to take more of their nutrition activities to the far flung areas of the county.

The county government of Nandi is committed to improving provision of health services to its people.

The nearly completed expansion and renovations at the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital are designed and built to accommodate a projected increase in demand for health care in the hospital’s service area.

The construction of covered walkways linking theatre 2 and maternity – Nyayo Ward, OPD ablution block, renovations at MCH parking area including drive ways, construction of doctors lounge and renovation works at rehabilitation department is complete.

In addition to an expected increase in demand for emergency services, the hospital expansion and renovation will accommodate increased integrated outpatient services and additional office space for physicians.

The installation of an elevated steel brazed water tank 80,000 litres (20m high) is almost complete. Prior to the construction of the water tank tower, the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital had to rely on an underground water tank which needed electricity – presently being supplied by electricity to pump running water into the hospital facilities. With the new water tank, the hospital now has an uninterrupted supply of tap water.

The construction of the modern Mother and Baby Hospital Complex is currently ongoing.

The medical equipment leased to Nandi county by the national government is changing lives through better care.

All the machines are functional both at the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital and Nandi Hills County Hospital.

The MES programme is an arrangement between the county and the national governments. The Health ministry says its “main benefit is access to innovative medical technology and equipment to bring services closer to the people.”

The Ministry of Health targeted a county hospital and one sub county facility in each county.

Nandi County has installed two theatre equipment, two sterilisation machines, surgical sets, a renal set, and imaging and radiology equipment. Others are a digital and portable X-ray machines, a digital ultrasound machine, an MRI scanner, CT scanner, an image intensifier, a C-Arm machine, and a digital dental X-ray machine.

Also provided under the scheme were a mammography machine, operating beds, orthopedic attachments diathermy, anaesthetic machines, and a baby resuscitaire.

The lives of several patients in Nandi has greatly improved since the government supplied the modern machines.

Patients can now attend their weekly dialysis easily and at no extra cost for those covered by the National Hospital Insurance Fund ( NHIF).

Before dialysis machines were procured and operationalized at Kapsabet County Referral Hospital, patients used to travel to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret or as far as Nairobi.

Kapsabet County Referral Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Daniel Kemboi said before receiving the machines, dialysis patients from Nandi County had to incur a lot of expenses to seek treatment from distant places.

“Dialysis cost at least Sh. 19,000 per visit and before travelling, the family has to plan at least three days prior on issues of accommodation, food and transport. How many families can afford Sh. 72,000 monthly for dialysis?” he posed.

“The 16 patients we manage can now be brought in by their families in the morning for dialysis and return to attend to other chores and return to pick their kin after five hours,’’ he added.

According to the CEC for Health and Sanitation Ruth Koech said that with the modern equipment, cases of disease misdiagnosis have drastically reduced. Our clinical officers and the doctors, including one Cuban doctor interpret MRI, X-ray results and prescribe the appropriate medication a patient requires because of the MES facility.

And because of the ultrasound equipment at the facility, the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital is able to ascertain the situation of pregnancies as soon as a client comes in to the health facility, and attended to them accordingly.

Patients are praising the availability of the equipments. The joy expressed by an old man who requested anonymity summed up the transformation.

“I used to go and queue for days in Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret every week for dialysis but now I get the service here at home,” he said.

Washing your hands helps remove harmful germs and bacteria that contribute to health problems such as diarrhea, foodborne illnesses, and respiratory infections. Therefore, washing your hands regularly enables you to stay healthy and reduces the likelihood of you or your loved ones getting sick.

A tippy tap is a simple innovative device operated by foot. It is designed to dispense flowing water in small amounts for washing hands.

The technology is gaining popularity in rural Nandi, especially in schools and areas where water is scarce.

In Nandi County, it is helping rural communities practice good hygiene (hand washing with water and soap) hence forestalling illnesses such as diarrhea and pneumonia that are leading causes of death in the country. 

Mr. John Kibet, a public health officer in Mosop Sub County explains that the tippy tap is made using a five litre plastic jerry can, an aperture through its upper body which allows water to flow.

The plastic container hangs on a horizontal beam that is supported by V-shaped tree stems.

One end of a strong rope is tied to the mouth of the container, while the other end is tied around a piece of wood lying on the ground to create a pedal.

When one steps on the wooden pedal, the plastic container tilts and clean water flows through the small hole.

Now, rural families and pupils in schools can wash their hands with flowing water and soap by operating their home made tap with one foot!

For ease of access and convenience, tins containing soap are placed next to the tippy tap, on its left and right side.

The County Department of Health and Sanitation, indicates that without hand washing facilities in schools, children are more susceptible to illness, and less able to learn and grow.

Infection prevention practices centered on hand hygiene (HH) protocols is being promoted across all county health facilities in Nandi.

Research indicates that worldwide, children lose 443 million school days each year because of water-related illnesses. More than half of these days (272 million) are as a result of diarrhea alone.

Yet according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the disease can be greatly reduced – by close to 50 percent – through hand washing with soap.

Nandi County through the Department of Health and Sanitation is contributing towards the realization of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) ‘6’ which aims at ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Hundreds of cleft lip and cleft palate patients will undergo corrective surgery at a free surgical camp in Nandi this week.

The event will take place Kapsabet County Referral Hospital and Nandi Hills County Hospital this week. It is sponsored by the county government in conjunction with Help a Child Face Tomorrow organization.

Over 100 patients from as far Kakuma and Lokichogio in Turkana county have been screened. Those who have turned up with ailments including cleft lips, goiter, broken limbs, prostate, spina bifida and other ailments.

Speaking while welcoming the medical doctors CECM for Health and Sanitation Ruth Koech thanked the partners for choosing to have the surgeries in Nandi County.

“On behalf of the county government of Nandi and the entire residents, I sincerely thank you for this. I feel happy when I see our young and elderly smile because of the free medical services,’’ she said.

“This free camp is in line with our universal healthcare ensuring no one should be left behind,” said Ruth Koech.

The no-cost medical clinic will run for a whole week, three days doing surgeries and the patients recuperating.

Samson Ereng’ who traveled from Kakuma in Turkana West, said it just shows that somebody is thinking about them and the less fortunate.

The exact cause of cleft lips isn’t known, but most experts suggest they may include a genetic predisposition as well as environmental issues such as drug and alcohol use, smoking, maternal illness, infections and lack of folic acid.

Affordable and accessible health care across the county is the number one agenda in Governor Stephen Sang’s administration. This is being realized through operationalization and equipping of new health facilities.

It was a sigh of relief for the residents of Kamamut  Village as the  County Executive Committee Member for Health and Sanitation Ruth Koech today officially opened Kapng’etuny Dispensary in Kurgung/Surungai ward, Mosop Sub County. The facility had stalled for over a decade.

The completion and the official opening of the facility will now ease the travel distance by the patients while seeking treatment. This is in line with the WHO standards of 5km distance between health centers.

Ruth Koech while addressing the residents urged them to embrace and make maximum use of the facility in managing disease prevalence. She also asked the residents to enroll themselves and family members to the NHIF cover.

“We will work round the clock to continue bringing services closer to the people and providing them with the essential services at the grassroots. I urge all the expectant women to attend antenatal clinics at our facilities to reduce the high infant mortality rates,” she added.

The Chief Officer for Preventive and Promotive Services Sally Kemboi on her part said that screening services are available at the dispensary and everyone  is called upon to make use of it and take a wellness check time to time.

“Lifestyle diseases which is a menace, should be controlled at all times. Blood pressure and blood sugar diseases are preventable by eating clean and exercising to keep healthy. We should also talk to our children in adopting good behavioral activities. In doing so we will be championing for a healthy society,” said Sally.

Dr. David Bungei, the Director Medical Services reiterated that provision of quality healthcare services is being offered across the county hospitals.

The area Member of County Assembly, Pius Murei, thanked governor Sang for working with him for the betterment of the citizenry.

Mzee Kimutai, one of the elders who’s suffering from a long term ailment,was immensely grateful to the County Government for bringing services closer, saying that it was a relieve for him and many in the catchment area.

The facility was also privileged to receive laboratory equipment as a donation from one of the residents in the village.

In attendance were Dr. Philemon Bureti, Director Administration, Planning and Operations, Sub County Administrator, Nehemiah Chemogos and William Melly, the area Ward Administrator.

The County Government of Nandi has embarked on an elaborate plan of improving health facilities across the county.

This will see a major infrastructure upgrade to transform health services at the Nandi Hills County Hospital.

The construction of a modern hospital complex at the facility is set to commence this month.

The upgrade project is also aimed at increasing bed capacity in other county hospitals among them Meteitei Maternity, and Chepterwai Nyayo Hospital.

A site handing over for the construction of Meteitei Maternity wing was done today.

Speaking during a working visit of Nandi Hills County Hospital, Nandi Governor Stephen Sang said the hospital was being expanded in order to decongest the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital.

A second theatre at the facility with new operating beds, lights and surgical instruments has been fitted. Installation of modern equipment including digital x-ray, image intensifier is also complete and operational.

“Through the Managed Equipment Services (MES), from the National Government, we have embarked on a major infrastructure upgrade of Nandi Hills County hospital which will be the second largest after the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital,” said Governor Sang.

Governor Sang said his administration was alive to the intermittent power supply at the hospital saying a 385KVA generator had been installed and installation of a three phase power supply of 610V rating has been fully fitted at the facility.

The Governor said his administration was committed to achieving Universal Health Coverage in the county.

He added that his Government would also ensure that health facilities were improved to enhance provision of quality healthcare.

Patients seeking services at the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital will soon enjoy a more hospitable environment once the renovation exercise is completed.

The facelift will focus on key outpatient departments and go a long way in providing a more patient- friendly environment in the spirit of blending hospitality with wellness.

Some of the works to be undertaken entails general repairs, tiling, roofing, plumbing and electrical works, and extension of customer care station as well as the installation of comfortable and modern seats in the waiting bay.

Earlier today, the county director for health Dr. David Bungei and his Administration, Operations and Planning counterpart Dr. Philemon Bureti received the modern Out-Patient seats at the facility.

Governor Sang’s government shall work to strengthen, equip, expand and modernize all health facilities in the county to assure residents of quality services.