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The Managed Equipment Service (MES) Contracts Review Team is proposing extension of the contract for a further three years while at the same time initiating a post-MES planning process to ensure continuation of services.
Speaking while handing over its report to Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, taskforce chair George Ooko said decommissioning the equipment or transferring them to respective hospitals could prove counterproductive.
“These options may lead to rampant equipment breakdown and prolonged down time negating gains already made. The extension is limited to three years and is mainly for maintenance and servicing of MES equipment as defined in the Service Requirements and equipment schedules in the contract.” Explained Ooko.
In its report, the taskforce noted the project had enabled many Kenyans to access health services from MES supported hospitals during the last 6 years from inauguration.
Through the programme, at least 3,848,162 patients have benefited from X-ray exposures, 1,797,597 from ultra sound scans while a further 628,821 patients have benefitted from theatre operations.
Among its proposals include the provision of additional dialysis equipment to 15 hospitals with high volume patients to enable them cope with the increased numbers as well as theatre equipment to optimize theatre services in the MES supported hospitals.
The facilities include; Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nakuru County Referral Hospital, Kakamega County Referral Hospital, Othaya National Referral Hospital, Murang’a County Referral Hospital, Wajir County Referral Hospital, Mandera County Referral Hospital and Kericho County Referral Hospital. Others are Kitui County Referral Hospital, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching & Referral Hospital, Moi Voi County Referral Hospital, Malindi County referral Hospital, Meru Teaching & Referral Hospital and Vihiga County Referral Hospital.
Speaking during the event, health CS Mutahi Kagwe said the government remains committed to transformative devolved healthcare in line with the constitutional right of every Kenyan to access the highest standard of quality healthcare attainable.
Under the MES arrangement, equipment manufacturers were outsourced to supply, install, train users, and provide maintenance, repair and replacement services for the specialized medical equipment for the duration of the MES contract.
The project, which was initiated by the national government in 2015, is meant to support devolution of equitable, accessible, affordable and quality healthcare with the government equipping two hospitals in each county and four national referral hospitals with outsourced state-of-the-art-medical equipment. The arrangement seeks to provide Kenyans with uninterrupted quality health services regardless of their location in the country.
The Kenyan government has prioritised health reforms in the recent past as it seeks to bridge the healthcare gap through resource mobilization, collaboration, innovation and technology exchange.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.
