Kilifi County government has unveiled a new specialised emergency services unit fully equipped with paramedics and modern ambulances that are fitted with high end medical equipment to deal with emergency cases in the county.
Governor Gideon Mung’aro also launched a renal unit and a warehouse to store medicines that are set to be supplied to the different health facilities.
Speaking during the launch he said now there are three beds at the renal unit for kidney patients but in two weeks’ time there will be an additional 13 beds to make the total bed capacity to 16.
“Now the kidney patients who used to travel for a long distance to access the services can now be treated in Kilifi hospital instead of going to Mombasa or Malindi,” he said.
Mung’aro sa9d they have begun NHIF services and already registered 8000 people adding that they have SH. 60 million more to register other people.
He said there are paramedics who have been trained on emergency services whose mandate is to handle emergency operations all over the county.
The Governor said there is a doctor on standby who will be issuing instructions on how the patients have to be handled.
“All ambulance services are free as I stated during campaigns, unless one wants an ambulance to take him to Mombasa hospital because that will; show he is rich but those who will be going to government health facilities including Coast general will be transferred for free,” he said.
On her Part Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Chibule said previously there were complaints from the public regarding health services.
She said with the new projects being initiated the county is now counting blessings after blessings which she attributed to the team constituted to work in the county.
Chibule said they are the second county to launch CIDP and so far, Kilifi moved from number 37 to number 17 and was headed to the top.
“We must continue with this work so that the popularity of our county goes higher and higher, we Were the second to launch CIDP, now on the issue of Development, Public Participation and everything we have moved from 37 to 17,” he said.
Kilifi CEC Member for Health Peter Mwarogo said the renal unit launched will reduce congestion at the Malindi Sub County hospital.
He said they built the warehouse to store enough drugs for enabling continuous supply of medicine to health facilities.
“The emergency unit is important because we found the response for emergency was not right that’s why we set ou a special unit for the emergency response,” he said.
Kilifi Chief officer Health David Mulewa said the renal unit was key facility to help in dealing with renal failure problems which have drained funds for many families leading to poverty due to such diseases.
He said now all patients with kidney failures from Kilifi and outside will be able to access the services.
“We have bought new ambulances, they are not just vehicles they have equipment to assist even critical patients anywhere anytime,” he said.
Mulewa said the move was aimed at handling pre hospital medical services which had not been achieved in the 10 years of devolution which enables one to begin getting medical attention right in the ambulance including Oxygen among others.
Previously emergency services were not effective because they were relying on health workers who had to handle both patients in hospital and respond to emergency which led to delays.
Licals interviewed said they were happy with the new services and projects introduced as they would go along way to improve health services in Kilifi County.