The Heath Department in Nyandarua County has established a system known as the Nyandarua Specimen Referral System, whereby motorcycle riders will be used to transport patients’ specimens from health centers to the nearest referral hospitals.
Nyandarua County Director of Health Services, Dr. Martha Mwathi, says patients will no longer be referred from health centers to local main hospitals for laboratory services.
Speaking at JM Kariuki Hospital during a refresher course for riders who have been enlisted to offer the service, Mwathi said that, instead, motorcycle riders will be asked to transport patients’ specimens from health centers to the nearest referral hospital that has a laboratory facility, and the results will be sent back to the initiating center online.
“The trained and equipped riders transfer the highly sensitive samples referred from dispensaries, health centers and the community to higher sub-county or County referral testing facilities,” she said.
The Director stated that when necessary, the boda boda taxi riders will be contacted and assisted in transporting the specimen, noting that specimen transfer is a crucial part of the County's provision of health services.
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She continued by saying that the referral system will expand citizens' access to the best laboratory services regardless of their location.
One of the efforts taken by Health Services Executive Zakayo Kariuki to enhance County health facilities' service delivery is the Specimen Referral System.
A social and health non-profit organization, Social Welfare Outreach Programme Kenya (SWOP-K), is working with the County to implement the system.
According to Francis Mecha of Swop-K, the company provides resilient, community-driven solutions to issues affecting disadvantaged and marginalized groups.
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