 Because health care services and medicine are inaccessible and unaffordable to many in Tharaka District there is a dire need for a medical facility, with maternity and pediatric wards, to be built in this area. The absence of a medical facility in Tharaka District means that children and pregnant women will continue to suffer and die, the rates of mortality will continue to climb, and this trend will continue to negatively impact Tharaka people. The nearest health care facility is a government dispensary which is approximately seven miles from the proposed site. This dispensary does not have a maternity or pediatric ward and there are no other such facilities nearby. The dispensary, which serves over 2500 patients per month, is understaffed (no doctors are employed), and with little to no medicine available, cannot provide quality health care services. Because of poor road conditions and no public transportation, the people of Tharaka have little access even to a medical facility.The proposed health center will be located on 4 acres of land already purchased, cleared and securely fenced at Turimatweru Village which is approximately 24 miles from the town of Meru. It will serve six villages within Tharaka District: Nkondi with 4469 people, Matakiri with 4276, Mwanyani with 4766, Turima with 6612, Gikingo with 9283 and Thiiti with 4762. When fully implemented this health center will directly benefit 6500 households and 34,168 people: 13,660 women, 10,250 children and 10,258 men.
When construction is complete, the health center will consist of:
Out-patient department
In-patient department
Labor ward (OPD)
Pediatric ward
Laboratory
Kitchen
Laundry facilities
Operating room
Pharmacy
Volunteer Counseling Center and ward for HIV/AIDS
Medical records office/administrative office
Isolation ward for contagious diseases
Staff housing. |
