When Ms Lucy Kering started experiencing labour pains in Amalo ward at 10pm in Kuresoi South constituency, her husband Nicholas Chumba was torn between taking her either to Molo or Bomet hospitals for safe delivery.
Mr Chumba is not alone. Mr Timothy Koech, a father of three, is hoping to sell his four sheep at a local market to raise enough money as his wife Alice Cherono is expecting their fourth child. He has no money to take her to Molo Maternity Hospital which is 16km away.
Expectant mothers in Kuresoi can now breathe a sigh of relief since Olenguruone Sub-County Hospital in Nakuru County now offers better maternity services including caesarean operations.
The hospital serves at least 5,000 patients annually and this has prompted Nakuru County government to upgrade it. The Governor Lee Kinyanjui administration has started a Sh100 million project that will see the facility offer improved medical services to the residents. The money will be used to construct a modern out-patient wing.
“This expansion has come at the right time and I thank Governor Kinyanjui for making the provision of health services his government’s top priority,” said Mr Philip Tumbabei.
Medical Officer in charge of Oleguruone Sub-County Hospital Dr Gilbert Toroitich showing some of the trophies won by the hospital for offering better health services on June 3, 2021.
“The expansion of the hospital will be done in three phases. During the 2020/2021 financial year, Sh10 million was allocated for phase one and another Sh30 million for the second phase,” said Olenguruone Sub-County Hospital Superintendent Gilbert Toroitich.
“Upon completion, the hospital will have all services under one roof,” added Dr Toroitich.
He said the expansion could not have come at the right time as expectant mothers were referred to Molo and Nakuru Level Five hospitals for caesarean operations
“Our theatre has enough equipment, we had 132 successful caesarean delivery operations last year,” said Dr Toroitich.
The hospital has digitalised its records for seamless service delivery to patients after installing a software provided by Elephant, a United Kingdom company.
This has seen an increase in the number of patients from 12,000 in 2017 to 20,000 in 2021.
“We’re slowly moving from paperwork and embracing the digital platform and this is helping us secure data,” he said.
“The patients are encouraged to download the App on their phones. It has a password to ensure confidentiality of medical information and only patients can access it,” he added.
“Our hospital records are now digitalised and this has reduced the time used by the patient to stay at the facility,” said Dr Toroitich.
He said that the hospital serves Bomet and Narok North and Kuresoi North residents.
The 40-bed facility, which sits on a 40 acres piece of land, offers outpatient, pre and ante-natal clinic, surgical and paediatric services among others.
The hospital has a shortage of medical staff.
“We need about 80 nurses to supplement the 20 we have to achieve universal health care delivery,” said Dr Toroitich.
Other key staff required to serve a population of about 100,000 include clinical officers. BY DAILY NATION