By Peter Ochieng
The ministry of health has received a huge and timely boost, courtesy of a donation of modern mobile laboratory , from the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD), in partnership with the European Union (EU).
IGAD’s member states are: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.
The Sh24 million worth, fully functional mobile laboratory will significantly improve healthcare accessibility, especially in remote and underserved regions.
Dr. Fatuma Adan of Health Mission Kenya and EU Deputy Head of Delegation Mr. Ondrej Simek, handed over the mobile laboratory to Mary Muthoni, Principal Secretary (PS) for Public Health and Professional Standards.
The handover ceremony was held on Monday at Afya House in Nairobi, marking a pivotal moment in ongoing endeavors to enhance diagnostic services nationwide.
“I commended the EU-IGAD for their longstanding support, particularly during challenging periods like the COVID-19 pandemic. We acknowledged the collaborative efforts of various partners, including IGAD and EU member states, in fortifying Kenya’s healthcare infrastructure,” said the PS.
With its capacity to conduct a wide range of diagnostic tests, including those vital for outbreak investigations and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) initiatives, the PS said the mobile lab is expected to mitigate disparities in healthcare provision between urban and rural areas.
“Despite the progress made so far, significant disparities in health service especially laboratory access between urban and rural areas continue to exist. This uneven distribution resulted in widespread and persistent issues of lack or misdiagnosis in rural Kenya.”
The donation comes in the middle of the doctors’ and other healthcare workers strike, among them clinical officers. The strike has crippled healthcare provision exercise in public hospitals across the country.
Doctors are pushing for implementation of the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and the posting of intern doctors among other grievances. They have been on strike for over a month.