By Okong’o Oduya
Busia County, Kenya: Medical facilities in Busia County recently received blood analyzing medical equipment ( hematology analyzers) that will help improve medical services in various health centers in the county.
Speaking on behalf of the chief officer in the department of health in Busia county, Dr. David Bulimo while receiving the machine from prime health firm admitted that hematology analyzer is a boost in the health sector. He added that the machines will be able to find a solution to 26 blood-related diseases that affect patients in Busia.
Bulimo who is also in charge of the medical laboratory department in Busia county noted that as a county they will take care of the machine. ” we will keep an eye on any technical hitch, Farm care will provide manpower to service the machines.”
“Our role as a county is to use the machines, we will purchase reagents manufactured by the firm via Kenya medical supply agency.”
The machines will be taken to Busia referral hospital, Alupe in Teso South, khunyangu hospital in Butula, Port Victoria hospital in Budalangi, Sio port hospital in Funyula and Nambale hospital in Nambale.
“Our target is to take medical services near to the people as well as preparing for the universal health cover as one of the government measures in addressing medical issues amongst our people,” he said.
He further noted that the availability of machine will address medical challenges that faced the laboratory department in the county adding that initially, patients in the hospital had to seek those medical services elsewhere.
“Initially we had one machine in these hospitals and in an event where the machine breaks down, patients are forced to go elsewhere for medication.”
He said they have enough trained engineers who will operate machine after they have been installed in the hospitals.
“Due to lack of knowledge and propagation, these machines are not being optimally utilized to their potential in many facilities globally but in our case, we have trained staff to handle them,” Bulimo added.
Benjamin Owuor, Busia Referral Hospital Administrator noted that the equipment has come at the right time adding that they will not only serve Busia’s population but also a large population from Eastern Uganda.
“We are at the border; we receive patients from Eastern Uganda. This kind of laboratory facility can only be found in Entebbe, and Mbale in Uganda. We are serving people as far as Jinja in Uganda,” he further said.
The hematology analyzers are predominantly used to count and identify blood cells at high speed and accuracy.
