Counties

Governor says Sh2bn for building Kisii cancer centre ready

governor

Kisii Governor James Ongwae. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The construction of an ultra-modern Sh2 billion cancer treatment centre in Kisii County is closer to reality.

Kisii governor James Ongwae said they had received confirmation of availability of the funds to put up the facility from the Ministry of Health.

“We have received a letter from the ministry that a Sh2 billion grant from donors to build a modern cancer centre and wards with a 60-bed capacity is available,” Mr Ongwae said yesterday.

He went on: “We expect it to be complete within the next two years as soon as the funds are disbursed to my administration.” The donors are the government of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Development Bank.

“The donors had given us one condition for the release of the funds, which was an implementation schedule. We have already done it,” explained the governor.

He made the remarks during the International Standards Organisation (ISO) certification ceremony for the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital medical laboratory.

Mr Ongwae said the occasion was a milestone for the facility. “The premier referral of our facility means the laboratory meets international standards for quality and competence in medical laboratories. Indeed,... attaining this certification is a major boost towards actualising our vision to provide world-class healthcare services for our people.” The medical laboratory is now listed among globally accredited labs on the Kenya National Accreditation Service list, becoming the third State-run hospital to attain the ISO 151:89:2012 status.

Laboratory services chief Mr Stanley Otara hailed the achievement, saying the results from the facility lab can be trusted worldwide.

“Our certification means results obtained at this laboratory can now be replicated anywhere in the world allowing it to support training and research. Residents can now enjoy efficient laboratory services due to increased confidence in test results,” Mr Otara said.

Governor Ongwae said they had recruited additional health workers who will help improve service delivery.

“The laboratory, which is manned by one pathologist and 27 health workers operates 24 hours from Monday to Sunday and on public holidays, providing emergency services to all the hospital’s clinical departments,” said the governor.

 He said the hospital had embarked on an ambitious infrastructural expansion programme that will see it become a modern medical complex.

“KTRH is also improving infrastructure at the hospital, including the construction of a 150 bed capacity ward, a 50 unit hostel block for intern doctors, a 100 body capacity mortuary complete with a funeral home, a car park, a pharmacy store and the county’s health ministry headquarters,” said the governor. 

He said the county had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Kisii University on the establishment of a medical school. Under the arrangement, the university will use KTRH facilities for training and research.

According to the governor, construction of the County Molecular Referral Laboratory for specialized tests at the facility is nearly complete.