Bumula residents are set to benefit from expanded access to maternal, newborn and diagnostic healthcare following the official opening of a 100-bed mother and child hospital unit and X-ray services at Bumula Sub-County Hospital by Governor Kenneth Lusaka.
Governor Kenneth Lusaka launching a newborn and diagnostic healthcare facility in Bumula constituency
The new facilities are expected to strengthen the hospital’s capacity to provide timely and quality healthcare services closer to residents, particularly mothers, newborns and children who previously faced challenges accessing specialized services. The Mother and Child unit has also received five incubators to support the care of premature and vulnerable newborns, while the facility houses a dental unit, further broadening the range of services available to the community.
Speaking during the official opening, Lusaka said the County Government of Bungoma was investing in strengthening healthcare infrastructure and services at the facility to bring it closer to referral standards. “We are improving the healthcare system at this facility to ensure it meets referral standards and provides quality services to the people of Bumula,” Lusaka said.
Governor Kenneth Lusaka and Bumula MP Jack Wamboka having a chitchat during the launch of a newborn and diagnostic facility
The Governor also commended Community Health Promoters (CHPs) for their dedication to providing healthcare services at the grassroots, noting that they play a critical role in connecting communities with essential health services. Lusaka said the county government had expedited medical insurance cover for the CHPs, assuring them that they would now be catered to under the program. He further disclosed that the county had made budgetary provisions to clear outstanding arrears owed to the CHPs, saying the move would strengthen their morale and enable them to continue serving residents effectively.
On the ongoing nurses’ strike, Lusaka said the county government had signed a return-to-work formula with the nurses as part of efforts to end the industrial action and restore normal healthcare services to residents affected by the strike. The governor appealed to the striking nurses to consider the impact of the industrial action on patients and uphold their professional responsibility to save lives. “I appeal to our nurses to embrace their oath of service and continue saving lives. We must ensure that patients do not lose their lives because of the ongoing situation,” he said.
Governor Kenneth Lusaka inspecting the maternal and child health unit
The opening of the Mother and Child unit and X-ray services marks a significant step in expanding access to essential healthcare services in Bumula, while the additional neonatal, dental and diagnostic capacity is expected to reduce the need for residents to travel long distances in search of specialized medical care.