Speaking during a tour in the facility, Kakamega County Executive member in charge of health Mrs. Penina Mukabane revealed that they have invested 21 million shillings in order to make the centre operational, and are working on an extra Kshs. 9 million to ensure that better services are offered.
Besides the centre, Mukabane said that the hospital is equipped with modern equipment among them a CT scan machine, a Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine (MRI), a radiographer among others, and are offering services to the patients at a cheaper price compared to other health facilities.
She added that the sector is facing staffing challenges but assured that they are hiring in bits and soon they target to get personnel specialised in radiography, medical lab, and other specialised departments. She rubbished claims by a number of politicians that the hospital’s services are poor insisting that it is among the best in the Western region.
The blood transfusion centre was opened to cater for blood shortages in the facility and others within the county. The CEC confessed that they have lost two people before due to shortage of blood and thus they resolved to set it up to curb the deficit.
Mrs. Priscilla Oparanya, the Kakamega county first lady who was in the company of the CEC called upon the residents to come out in large numbers to donate blood in the ongoing exercise within the county. The four-day blood donation exercise takes place in major markets of Kakamega county and the centre targets to get blood that will keep them going for a year or so.
Dr. Dickson Muchana a pathologist in charge of the centre revealed that they averagely use 1150 pints per day. He reveals that they have had that blood for the last four months and called upon well-wishers to donate so as to save others who may be in need.