This archive report was first published on 3 August 2020.
On August 3, 2020, Kirinyaga County government marked a significant milestone in its health sector reforms by commissioning a modern kitchen, a laundry unit, and an incinerator at Kerugoya Referral Hospital.
The infrastructural development aims to enhance healthcare service delivery in the county and increase efficiency in kitchen and laundry services.
The modern kitchen, part of a new building that also hosts a laundry unit, is designed to cater for the growing needs of patients at the hospital. Norman Njeru, the Hospital Manager, noted that the kitchen can handle food for around 400 people at one given time, although the hospital currently cooks for around 200 patients daily.
The new kitchen boasts improved facilities, including a bigger cold-room, stand-alone washing sinks, two boilers (electric and gas), a fan, four hot plate cookers with an oven, four gas cookers, and a stock pot stove that is gas-powered. Additionally, there is a fridge parking, a bulk store, and a daily ration store, as well as a vegetable processor and universal mixer, and a hooded dishwasher.
According to Njeru, the semi-mechanization in the new kitchen will increase output while safety in the kitchen has been increased by the plan of the building and the installation of fire extinguishers.
The laundry unit has contributed significantly to high hygienic standards at the hospital, equipped with modern washing machines and dryers that ensure patients use clean linen at all times.
The newly installed modern incinerator will enhance the hospital's hazardous waste management and reduce environmental pollution. The incinerator has a capacity to handle 50 kilogrames of waste per hour and has a burning temperature of 1200 degrees Celsius.
With the incinerator, the hospital will be able to dispose of hazardous and medical infectious waste effectively, phasing out old methods of disposal. This is particularly crucial as the country continues to experience a rise in Covid-19 cases, and the county can adequately dispose of any coronavirus-related medical wastes.
By Irungu Mwangi
