Khwisero mother and child hospital raises hope for better healthcare

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- Khwisero Mother and Child Hospital aims to enhance local healthcare access and reduce travel distances for treatment

- Residents anticipate job creation and economic growth from the new hospital's operations and services

- Calls for adequate staffing and equipment emphasise the hospital's potential to transform healthcare in the community

KAKAMEGA - Kenya- Residents of Khwisero and Kisa Central are optimistic that the ongoing construction of the Khwisero Mother and Child Hospital will transform access to healthcare and reduce the need to travel long distances for treatment.

Residents say the facility will particularly improve access to maternal and child health services while creating new economic opportunities for the surrounding communities once it becomes operational.

Hospital to ease maternal healthcare access

John Okwomi, a Khwisero resident and boda boda rider, said the hospital has given residents hope after years of travelling to Butere to seek treatment.

He said the lack of adequate services at nearby facilities had made healthcare costly and difficult to access, particularly for residents who needed specialised care.

“In the past, people had to travel to Butere for treatment because nearby facilities did not have enough services,” Okwomi said.

He said the Mother and Child Hospital would be particularly important for pregnant women and children who require reliable healthcare closer to home.

However, Okwomi urged authorities to ensure the facility is fully equipped once construction is completed.

“Our hope is that the hospital will not only be completed as a building, but also equipped with medicine, health workers and the facilities needed to serve patients well,” he said.

Residents expect jobs and business growth

Okwomi said the hospital could also stimulate economic activity in the area by attracting healthcare workers and other professionals.

Doctors, nurses and other employees are expected to create demand for housing, food and other goods and services, benefiting local businesses.

Wycliffe Sande, a resident of Kisa Central, said the facility would significantly reduce the distance residents currently travel to access healthcare.

He said services such as X-ray would be particularly important because residents have previously been forced to travel to Butere for such services.

“Services such as X-ray will be very important because residents have been forced to travel to Butere for such care, which is costly,” Sande said.

Sande said the hospital would also provide a reliable option for residents seeking treatment at night.

“When the hospital is operational, even patients who fall sick at night will have an easier time reaching treatment because the facility will be closer to them,” he said.

He added that the facility could create employment opportunities for local residents, including cleaners and security personnel, while small businesses selling fruits and other goods could also benefit.

Long-awaited project welcomed

Another resident, Reagan Munami, said the hospital was a long-awaited project for people in Kisa Central.

He said residents have endured challenges caused by the absence of a nearby Level 4 hospital, forcing patients to travel elsewhere for treatment.

“Residents of Kisa Central are happy with the ongoing hospital construction because it is a dream they have wanted for a long time,” Munami said.

He said the facility could help reduce congestion at other hospitals and make healthcare services faster and more accessible.

Munami also linked the hospital to potential economic growth, saying healthcare workers would need accommodation and other services.

“Doctors and other workers may need rental houses, businesses will grow around Ikolomani Market, and residents will benefit from new opportunities created by the facility,” he said.

Calls for adequate staffing and medicines

Munami recalled the difficulties residents have faced when seeking treatment at existing facilities, including shortages of medicines and health workers.

He said patients could sometimes find only one doctor serving a large number of people, resulting in delays in treatment.

The residents said the completion of the Khwisero Mother and Child Hospital should therefore be accompanied by adequate staffing, medicines, equipment and essential medical services.

They believe the facility could become more than a healthcare centre, serving as a catalyst for development and economic activity in Khwisero and surrounding parts of Kisa Central

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.