Nairobi residents can soon access Intensive Care Unit(ICU) services at any public hospital.
This is after Nairobi Governor announced the unveiling of the first public ICU facility in Nairobi to be installed in all level 5 hospitals in the County.
The governor announced through his social media pages that the facility would be launched soon.
We’ve put together Nairobi County’s first ICU facility. To be opened soon. The issue of medical cover for former NMS staff is also addressed in the second pic. Resumes on Monday as we wait for National Govt to formally sign deed of Novation for NHIF to be in contract with NCCG. pic.twitter.com/sGcEQ4K9XM
— Sakaja Arthur Johnson (@SakajaJohnson) February 11, 2023Did you read this?
“Would you believe the cCounty has never had a public ICU? We shall have the ICU facility in our level 5 hospitals,” he said.
A recent report by the Health Taskforce Committee appointed by governor Sakaja stated that hospitals in Nairobi are understocked with drugs and crucial medical equipment like the Intensive Care Units.
The committee was formed to look at ways to improve health service delivery in the Country.
It established that there are 119 public hospitals in the County.
Among them is 59 level 2 facilities, 45 level 3 facilities, 12 level 4 hospitals and three level 5 hospitals in the County.
During the Covid 19 pandemic, Kenyans were coughing out more than Kes500,000 as a deposit for an ICU bed.
In a letter by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council(KMPDU) to the former Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, the council warned health facilities against demanding depoisit for ICU services for patients in critical care as the numbers of the virus increased.
MP Shah charged a Kes650,000 deposit for their six ICU beds, and Nairobi hospital charged between Kes130,000 and Kes300,000 for its 36 ICU beds.
While Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) was charging Kes200,000 for its 86 ICU beds.
Kenyatta National hospital was the only facility that was not demanding deposits.
Further, Governor Sakaja addressed the medical cover stalemate of the former Nairobi Metropolitan Services staff.
He noted that he had asked the National government and the Ministry of Public Service to fast-track the handing over of the contract with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) that has yet to be transferred to the County.
“PS Mr Gatheca has committed that medical cover will resume on Monday morning,” he added.
