Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has revealed that the Kitale County Hospital famously known as Kitale District Hospital will be renovated and converted into a Cancer centre.
Speaking at Yuya Primary School Grounds, in Cherangany Sub County during Mashujaa Day celebrations, Natembeya said this will be effected once transfer of services and other medical equipment to Wamalwa Kijana Teaching and Referral Hospital is completed.
“We are in the process of transferring services from our District hospital to Kijana Wamalwa Memorial Hospital,” the Governor stated.
Natembeya said having a Cancer speciality health institution will help the residents of Trans Nzoia and other neighbouring counties access cancer treatment with ease.
“Cancer has killed many of our people. MTRH in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County is always congested but if we had our own Cancer centre, we would have saved those lives,” he noted.
The Cancer centre will have a fully fledged state-of-the-art Palliative Care Unit for people with chronic illnesses.
It will also house a bone marrow transplant facility.
Currently, Nairobi West Hospital is the only one in Kenya which has bone marrow transplant facility. The hospital successfully conducted first bone marrow transplant in October 2022.
Moreover, the soon-to-be established facility in Kitale will have a mental health unit.
Incomplete facility
But even as the county plans to convert the Hospital into a Cancer Centre, a section of health practitioners and County Government workers are opposed to the transfer of services to the incomplete health facility.
A member of the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) who spoke to Uasin Gishu News on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation said the Kijana Wamalwa Memorial Hospital is not ready to address medical needs of Trans Nzoia residents.
“That hospital is yet to be issued a completion certificate. If also needs over 1,000 staff, modern equipment estimated to cost over Ksh2 billion to start operations,” the nurse said.
The nurse also hit out at the Trans Nzoia County Executive Committee Member in charge of Health Dr. Pepela Wanjala for failed to advise the Governor accordingly.
“We are asking ourselves why the hurry. The best way to operationalize the hospital is to do it progressively, the CECM has failed terribly,” the nurse added.
However, the county boss argues that the roofs of Kitale County Hospital are leaking and need serious renovation.
He revealed that newborns and their mothers are usually rained on at the new born unit endangering their lives.
“The condition of Kitale District Hospital is not good at all. The roofs are leaking and everything is in disarray. In fact, our mothers and their children are rained on in the wards,” Natembeya stated.
He further advised locals of Trans Nzoia to ensure they have health Insurance cover.
“Even if you don’t have money, we have made an arrangement with NHIF where you just give one sack of maize and it covers your family for one year,” Natembeya said.
