TORCH AFRICA VIEW POINT ON LEVEL 6 National Teaching and Referral Hospital in Bungoma County
A Level 6 Hospital is a national government institution established and managed under the State Corporation Act. It is not a County Government facility that is obliged to hire local specialists in the name of medical doctors like neurologist, neo-surgeons, oncologist, paediatricians, etc.
The health workers and specialists for such a facility will be sourced from across the Republic of Kenya, East African Community, Continent of Africa an med the Globe.
The majority of the technical staff for level 6 Hospital won’t come from Sigei or Bungoma County. They may be from other parts of the Country as External and International specialists/consultants.
For a client to reach level 6, he or she must have come from other health facilities elsewhere in the referral pathways or protocol of levels 1 to 5 or unless it is an emergency.
We don’t have to wait for 20 years to train locals to take up specialist positions at level 6 Hospital for it to operate optimally.
Indeed, most of the health care services will be handled by the aforementioned levels except those highly specialized that lack specialists at lower levels.
There will be a referral system or framework for client movement, specimen movement and specialist movement from the lower levels to level 6 Hospital.
Currently, most clients from Bungoma County are referred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) , Kenyatta National Hospital, Jaramogi Odinga Oginga Referral Hospital, whose distance are far longer abs can not be compared to Sichei .
Let us not trivialize the debate on this historical landmark institution (Level 6 National Teaching and Referral Hospital).
We should de-politicize the debate and be open- minded but not open mouthed in our deliberations about the establishment of level 6 National Teaching and Referral Hospital in any part of Bungoma.
Soon Webuye Sub County Hospital may become either level 5 or 6 because it has another development partner who is investing in it to become a Medical Plaza. It will not only serve the people of Webuye and Tongaren but also neighbouring constituencies in Kakamega County like Lugari and Malaba.
In the spirit and letter of devolution and equitable distribution of national resources, stipulated in Articles 6, 10, 174 , 186 of the Constitution of Kenya as read together with the Four Schedule, the establishment of Level 6 Hospital at Sichei should not occupy our minds so much as long as it is in Bungoma County which is part of the Republic of Kenya.
There are some stakeholders claiming that there was no adequate public participation before the decision to put up a level 6 Hospital in the Sichei area. They could be right to some extent. However, public participation on level 6 Hospital should be done across the 47 Counties in Kenya not just in Bungoma County because it is a national government institution.
Other citizens of Kenya should have been given an opportunity to also debate whether they want it established in Bungoma County, Garissa, Busia, Kitui, Lamu, Migori , Tharaka Nithi , West Pokot or any other County.
The argument regarding the establishment of the level 6 Hospital should not have been dominated by residents of Bungoma County. It should come from residents of other 46 counties in the Republic of Kenya.
This is my considered opinion and viewpoints on level 6 Hospital.
Torch Africa Viewpoint
Email torchafrica@gmail.com
