Tana opens new surgical theatre

For decades, expectant women who developed complications in Tana River County had to travel more than 100km to Garissa for a caesarean section because it lacked an equipped theatre.

Sometimes the journey resulted in deaths of the heavily pregnant women, the unborn child or both, as safe arrivals were a gamble.

“I lost my first wife in 2020 as we were going to Garissa. We were told it would not be possible to carry out the procedure at Hola Hospital,” recounted Abdi Mohammed.

Mr Mohammed had to hire a vehicle when he was told the ambulance was not an option.

His wife was in pain and needed urgent help, and against the nurse's advice, they left the hospital for Garissa. But on arrival at Madogo town, she died.

“I almost went mad. That experience has never left my mind. It is traumatising and I’m worried about having another baby,” said the father of two.

And Rahma Hussein also recounts how she almost died while seeking medical services at Bura Sub-County Hospital.

Her family had to rush her to Hola Referral Hospital.

“It was around 9pm when we arrived, only for the people on duty to advise us to go to Malindi, saying they could not deal with our situation. They gave us an ambulance,” she said.

They knew they would not arrive at Malindi Sub-County Hospital, some 205km away, and her husband had to think quickly.

A nurse advised her to try Ngao Hospital in the Tana Delta, some 112km away.

“The doctors there tried their best. I arrived in a very bad state and they had to make a decision, either save me or the child, they chose me,” she said.

But the agony of losing her first child tormented her for years, as she had hoped to raise a son if the necessary amenities had been made available at the right time.

But such frustrations for expectant women are expected to reduce with the commissioning of the first theatre maternity at Bura Sub-County Hospital.

Health Executive Javan Bonaya explained the project is part of the national government’s Medical Equipment Services scheme. It had not been operational as it lacked a power backup system, water, and personnel, who have now been hired.

“The county administration has hired the specialist proposed by the national government on a permanent and pensionable basis, hence the theatre will be fully operational,” Mr Bonaya said in an interview.

The theatre also has suction and steriliser machines, defibrillators and anesthesia equipment.

Governor Dhadho Godhana assured residents that critical emergency services will be handled at the new facility.

The governor reiterated that the administration's main agenda is to ensure that residents in the county get quality healthcare.

“Let's maintain our focus in developing our hospitals, making the health sector a priority from the Level Four hospital to the dispensary at the grassroots,” he said.

Mr Godhana noted that the county administration will soon receive portable mini-hospitals that will be stationed in strategic places in each ward.

The mini-hospitals, he said, will have all services available in most hospitals except major surgeries and will be staffed by clinical officers assisted by nurses.

This, he said, will end long travels in search of the services.

“The furthest one should go for medical services should not exceed 10km. We are going to make sure it is a walking distance by the end of this year,” he said.

Governor Godhana also reiterated plans to set up a Level Five hospital that he noted will be fully equipped and serve residents in and from outside the county.

He noted that the plans were captured in the municipality plans and will require slightly more than Sh2 billion to actualise.

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