Construction of KES 150M Urenga Level 3 Hospital Project Moving Along Swiftly

By Eric Omwombo 

Construction of the KES 150 million Urenga Level 3 Hospital project is moving along swiftly.

The two-story structure has been constructed, and concrete floors, thick steel beams and staircases are in place. A dramatic entryway is taking shape.

About 7 workers are on site now and working to complete the inside of the building. A basement was built to keep the building’s overall height.

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According to Dalton Enterprises site agent George Odhiambo Obuya, so far, there have been no handicaps in the ongoing works.

“We have completed the groundworks, floors, shuttering and steel beam fixing,”, said Obuya at the site on Wednesday 27 December 2023.

“By next week we will do the casting on the 3rd day of January, 2024. We, certainly will be doing the roofing before March next year”.

Mr. Obuya said they were sure to keep within the timeline as so far the construction had been in progress for 12 weeks with a total project period span of 52 weeks.

Urenga is one of the 47 Level 3 Hospital projects countrywide allocated KES 2.3 billion.

The government aims to expand health facilities and enhance access to medical coverage at the grassroots level.

According to the Head of Infrastructure Development at the Ministry of Health Mr. Michael Thuita, Urenga is among the flagship projects earmarked for the national Level 3 Hospitals infrastructure development.

Urenga Level 3 Hospital project stands out as unique as the County Government of Siaya will plough in KES 50 million to supplement the National Government allocation of KES 100 million.

Mr. Thuita said that once the project is complete it will be handed over entirely to the management of the County Government of Siaya.

“With Level III, you can be assured it will have an x-ray, and laboratory and the County is expected to recruit or deploy more technical staff to run the facility once completed,” he added.

According to Siaya Director of Public Health Ken Orwenjo, ideally Urenga Center is going to host a theatre, pediatric ward, laboratory, Ultra-sound room and several other units that will support child and mother treatment.

“As a user department, it will be a milestone and we anxiously await the handing-over day to continue offering mother-to-child care and services in Urenga,” said Orwenjo.

He further revealed that in addition to the project being jointly built by the national government, Urenga will have a Kenya Medical Training College component adjacent to the hospital so Urenga will ultimately be opened up as a teaching unit.

“We shall have the KMTC offering courses like Nursing and completion of the project will pave way for student’s practical work and it would allow Urenga to be a level 4 hospital and hence offer critical services,” said Orwenjo.

He also said that the x-ray unit will open up diagnostic services that of course should be used to make critical decisions when it comes to quality of care and offering the best services to Urenga residents.

Urenga Nursing-in-charge Rabin Awandu lauded the National government through the area MP for facilitating the processes that saw the project brought to Urenga in Ugenya sub-county saying it would improve the patient populace from the current 1700.

“We are happy that there will be a great improvement in the provision of quality healthcare. We also expect a rise in monthly deliveries that currently stand at 20 to a possible 40,” said Awandu.

The Dalton Enterprises (East Africa) Limited whose Director is Harry Obunge won the tender in an open and competitive bidding process. Mr Obunge has vowed to work closely with locals in undertaking the project according to NEMA and Environmental Impact Assessment procedures.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, President Dr William Samoei Ruto assured Siaya Governor James Orengo that he would personally see to it that appropriate equipment and medication are promptly supplied to the facility.