Kiambu County is set to open new 150-bed capacity Covid-19 isolation centre at Ruiru Level Four Hospital. Kiambu governor Dr. James Nyoro made the announcement and aid that the facility whose construction was launched in July will be opened in three weeks’ time.
“The facility is 60% percent complete and we hope it will be opened by December. It will cater for patients in this populous Sub County. It will be for posterity. Again, local investors have promised to contribute for the construction of another state of the art storey hospital here,” said Dr. Nyoro.
Prefabricated technology
The facility is being constructed using prefabricated technology and will handle cases reported in the densely populated Sub County. Its cost Sh 65m is part of the Sh 185m that the county received as Covid-19 grant, from the national government. The remaining funds will be used to procure equipment and refurbishment of other health centers.
The governor said that the facility will help the County attain over 1,000 Covid-19 isolation beds. The County has also employed about 500 medical personnel who will be deployed in new or expanded hospitals among them Ruiru, Lussy Getti, Wangige, and Tigoni Covid Isolation centre.
The governor also raised concern over increasing Covid-19 cases in the County, saying his health officers and the police are under instruction to monitor compliance in markets, eateries, bars, and matatus and to arrest those non-compliant.
While noting that the County averages 50 cases daily, Nyoro called on residents not to drop the ball since modelling shows that the cases will go on until February. By November 10, the County had reported 4,223 cases, according to Ministry of Health data.
Biashara Ward MCA, who represents Ruiru town Eljah Njoroge welcomed the new facility saying residents are set to benefit as they are forced to seek treatment in Thika or Kiambu Level Five Hospitals that are kilometers away.
