By MN Reporter
The reason it takes time to realise Migori Referral Hospital has changed greatly since devolution is that buildings are not in one floor, Migori governor Okoth Obado explains.
Speaking to Migori News at his home in Rapogi, Uriri constituency the governor who was first elected in 2013 general elections and seeks to retire in 2022 said the hospital will shape his legacy greatly.
He said when the hospital was handed over to the devolved unit after being managed by Migori County Council and the national government a lot has changed.
“We have changed the interface of the hospital, from the gate which replaced an old wire one to infrastructure in the hospital,” he explains.
He said for visitors to get the full grasp of the change, a few old buildings which were low mabati red mabati roof offices and wards have been replaced by several storey buildings.
On December 21, 2020 Obado launched the Maternal, Child and Amenity Complex at the hospital, the latest mega project.
“The Complex will significantly improve the maternal and child health not only in Migori, but across the region has it has been fitted with ultra-modern equipment and hospitality facilities,” he said.
Currently, Obado said there is a doctor’s plaza being built at the hospital which apart from having special doctor’s offices will have wards for a “private wing” of the hospital to cater for VIP Patients.
On March 2018 Obado launched a Sh18million kidney renal unit at the facility which serves a highly subsidised rates and have saved patients from long journey of seeking services in major town..
As one enters the gate of the Referral Hospital, on your left the county launched the administration block which is followed by the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) which on June 13th, 2019 received a brand new 51-seater bus.
Obado said Migori committed over Sh20 million for completion of the ongoing construction of a tuition and administration block in the Campus.
Around the same time, Obado said he launched a Sh.230 million Cancer CT scan at the hospital and also commissioned an oxygen plant section that will assist in reducing deaths to many patients especially children and women requiring to be put on oxygen support.
The county also set aside Sh10million to recruit more medical specialists who will be attached to the newly built Computerized Tomography Scan (CT-Scan).
“We funded funded the construction and installation of the state-of-the-art medical laboratory at a cost of Sh65 million this come with close with close partnership with Amref (Global Fund), more than Sh29 million has been earmarked for the medical laboratory to improve the laboratory building and to install molecular biology equipment,” he said.
The top hospital also boost a Eye Center, which was build and had Sh10million medical equipment in partnership with the Fred Hollows Foundation from the Netherlands.
HEALTH BOOST
With the health docet receiving over 25 per cent of all devolved county budget, the sector has been key to shaping Obado’s legacy.
He said the national government used to spend Sh95.4million on drugs annually while devolution has increased the amount spent to Sh188million, although the amount needed is Sh340million annually.
“This has seen out number of treated patients in all public hospitals increased by more than 370,000 annually to 1.1million since devolution,” he explained.
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