A radiographer operates a 64 slice CT Scan machine at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital on 18/2/2019. Siaya County Referral Hospital received its first CT scan machine. [File, Standard]
The county referral hospital has received its first CT scan machine.
Previously, patients who required CT scan services were transferred to Kisumu County.
Director of Public Health Kennedy Oruenjo said the machine was among those leased to the county by the National Government.
"We received it from the National Government arrangement with the counties alongside several other machines. The county pays Sh200 million every year for these machines. It has already been installed and we will begin using it from next month,” said Mr Oruenjo.
He said the county government was working on steady supply of electricity to power the machine.
"A radiation committee board from Nairobi will visit us before next month to test the machine to give it a clean bill of health before we launch it officially," said Oruenjo.
He said the Siaya County Referral Hospital referred about four to five patients with emergency cases requiring the CT scan services to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Referral Hospital in Kisumu daily.
He said most cases that required the services were as a result of traffic and motorcycle accidents.
Oruenjo said the county government was in talks with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to ensure registered patients benefited from the services provided.
"We also have a social insurance scheme being pursued. It is currently under discussion at the county assembly, although the policy is already out. A team of decision makers is also looking at it so that we can have residents receiving treatment as the county pays for it," he added.