Kericho hospital upgrades bring new services as residents seek more progress

For years, residents of Kericho seeking specialised medical services often had to contend with referrals, limited diagnostic equipment and the inconvenience of travelling elsewhere for treatment.

But patients who have interacted with Kericho Referral Hospital say the situation is gradually changing, with improvements in diagnostic services, laboratory testing and patient care making it easier for residents to access treatment closer to home.

For some patients, the changes are most noticeable in the services that are now available within the hospital, reducing the need to be sent to other facilities for tests and treatment.

Rose Kerubo, a Kericho resident since 2010, says the hospital has made noticeable progress in the services available to patients.

One of the changes she points to is the availability of a CT scan machine, a service that was previously not available at the facility.

According to Rose, patients previously had to be referred elsewhere to access the service, adding another step to an already difficult treatment journey.

She says the availability of the machine has made it easier for patients to receive the investigations they need within the hospital.

Looking ahead, Rose wants the facility to continue improving by adding more medical equipment and ensuring health workers remain responsive to patients seeking care.

Her hope is that patients will not miss out on necessary services because the equipment or personnel required are unavailable.

For Catherine Nafula, another Kericho resident who has received treatment at the referral hospital for a long time, the changes are also evident in laboratory services and the way patients are handled.

Catherine says patients are now being attended to better, checked more thoroughly and offered more tests than before.

She recalls a time when admission and patient care were not as satisfactory, with some patients left without adequate attention.

From her experience, she says the situation has improved and healthcare services at the facility are moving in the right direction.

Still, Catherine believes there is room for further improvement.

She would like the hospital to offer more specialised tests, including cancer screening and tests for diseases such as cholera, allowing patients to identify health problems earlier and begin treatment in good time.

She also hopes more qualified doctors will be brought in to strengthen the services available to patients.

While residents acknowledge the progress made, some say the focus should now shift to completing facilities that would expand access to specialised care.

Peter, a Kericho resident, says the hospital's upgrade has already improved services, including scanning and referrals.

He says residents are now looking forward to the completion of the cancer centre that had been promised for the facility.

For Peter, having such a centre in Kericho would mean patients requiring cancer-related services could access more of their care closer to home instead of relying heavily on referrals.

The experiences of the three residents point to a healthcare system that is changing, but also one where patients expect improvements to continue.

From CT scans and expanded laboratory testing to the demand for cancer services and more medical specialists, residents say the gains already made should be followed by further investment.

For families seeking treatment, the goal is simple: more services available locally, quicker access to diagnosis and treatment, and fewer journeys elsewhere when specialised care is needed.