Today's Headlines
- Two Exhibitions Are On At Ramoma, Nairobi
- Country to Review Tourism Law
- Econet Wireless Finally Rolls Out
- Odinga Warns of Civil Unrest
- Mulee Rules Out Harambee Stars U-Turn
- Taking Up a Women's Agenda
- More Than 6,000 Christian Youth Converge for Prayers
- Catholic Church Outraged By MPs' Refusal to Pay Tax
- Pope Benedict Praying for Release of Abducted Nuns
- Thousands Flee Amid Fears of Border Clashes
- Malaria Rates Plummet Among Children
- Winning Against HIV Stigma Behind Bars
- First Congress of Federation of African Journalists a Historic Milestone, Says IFJ
- Archbishop Lele Urges State to Act as Food Crisis Bites
- Regional Workshop Focus Border Management, Irregular Migration
- Silverbird Acquires Kenya's Nu Metro, Starts Operations in Ghana
- Raila is Evil, Says Minister
- Man Charged With Abduction of Two Catholic Sisters
- UN Censures State On Torture
- Agencies Seek $390 Million to Offset Climate And Food Risks
- UN-Backed Scheme Gives 3,000 Prisoners Clean Water and Sanitation
- Samosa Festival is On in Nairobi
- Heartstrings in Another Comedy
- Govts, Investors Engage RVR in Rail Bid
- Mwangi Replaces Mwebesa At NSE
- Riepa Hosts Business Association
- ICTR Petitions UN for Arrest of Kabuga
- UBA to Invest SH360 Billion in Kenya
- Free Movement of People Too, Not Just Goods and Capital
- Judges Running Out of Money?
The Nation (Nairobi)
September 29, 2008
News Article By John Ngirachu
Kenyans are set to benefit from improved health care in public hospitals following aeurn agreement between the Kenyan and Dutch governments for funding to the tune of KSh2.6 billion.
Medical Services Permanent Secretary Prof James ole Kiyiapi said negotiations to finalise the deal that will see the ministry receive a total of Euro 27 million (Sh2.6 billion) will be complete by next week.
The funds will be in the form a Sh1.1 billion grant and a loan for another Sh1.5 billion and will be used to buy and upgrade equipment as well as to train staff over the next five years.
The deal also includes a five-year maintenance contract with the Dutch firm that will supply the equipment.
He added that the money is separate from the KSh550 million the ministry has already committed to equip and refurbish 25 hospitals.
Six provincial and 17 district hospitals have been identified for the upgrades and refurbishment.
New Nyanza, Nakuru, Embu, Garissa, Nyeri and Mombasa provincial hospitals will become referral hospitals to ease pressure on Kenyatta National and Moi Referral Hospitals.
Speaking at the start of the second Pan-African Afrihealth conference at Nairobi's Grand Regency Hotel on Monday, Prof Kiyiapi said surveys had indicated that most people are flocking to the two hospitals, which results in the congestion that has forced some to sleep on the floors in wards or share beds.
"The first move should be to decongest the wards since the sharing of the beds even leads to spread of infection and the added risk of cross-infection," he added.
He said the two hospitals are already admitting patients at double their capacities as they cannot turn away patients.
He said the negotiations with donors who contribute to health would now centre on ensuring quality equipment and training of staff is given to ensure the benefits of the upgrade are secured in the long-term.
On the report expected this week of a task force investigating the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency, Prof Kiyiapi said the priority would be to move all supply issues to the agency and to ensure the supply of drugs is simplified.
He said this would do away with processes that give opportunities for corruption.
