By Daniel Kituku
Makueni
Makueni County Referral Hospital has taken a decisive step toward reducing patient referrals and easing chronic congestion after the county government commissioned a new suite of advanced surgical and diagnostic equipment, significantly expanding the hospital’s capacity to handle complex cases.
The upgrades, unveiled today, have enabled the hospital to double its operating theatres from two to four — a structural shift that hospital managers say will directly affect waiting times, surgical backlogs and emergency response.
At the centre of the expansion is a modern laparoscopic tower, an integrated and mobile workstation that supports minimally invasive surgery. Equipped with high-resolution 4K imaging, advanced light sources, oxygen insufflation and suction systems, the unit allows surgeons to operate with greater precision while reducing recovery time for patients — a capability that has long been absent in many county referral hospitals.
The hospital has also received a diathermy monopolar machine, which uses high-frequency electrical currents to cut and coagulate tissue during surgery, substantially reducing blood loss. Complementing this are new anesthesia machines, operating tables and lights, infusion pumps, traction beds for orthopedic procedures, and patient monitors designed for both theatre and transit use.
On the diagnostic front, the acquisition of a digital X-ray system marks a shift away from film-based imaging. The system produces images within minutes, improves diagnostic clarity and lowers radiation exposure — a development hospital officials say is already easing pressure on services. On high-volume days, the unit handles between 70 and 80 patients.
Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr, who commissioned the equipment, acknowledged that the prohibitive cost of medical technology continues to constrain counties, often forcing patients to seek care far from home. He said the latest investment reflects a deliberate push to strengthen in-county treatment and reduce avoidable referrals.
Hospital clinicians say the impact will be immediate. Consultant general surgeon and endoscopist Alex Ombati noted that the expanded surgical and diagnostic capacity will allow the hospital to manage cases that previously had to be referred to Nairobi or other regional centres, cutting costs for patients and improving outcomes.
The equipment was procured through a collaboration between the National Equipment Service Programme and county governments — a model increasingly relied upon as counties attempt to modernize public health facilities amid tight budgets and rising demand.
For Makueni Referral Hospital, the expansion is less about ceremony and more about correcting long-standing capacity gaps.
Whether the investment translates into sustained service delivery will now depend on management staffing, maintenance and consistent utilization — the quieter tests that follow every commissioning.
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