of Mathioya Sub-county will no longer have to travel long distances for a range of specialized and emergency medical services, following the upgrading and commissioning of Nyakianga Hospital to a Level-4 facility.

The expanded hospital in Gitugi Ward is expected to significantly reduce referrals to Murang’a Level-5 Hospital and neighbouring Othaya Sub-county in Nyeri County, while easing the financial and logistical burden that patients and their families have faced when seeking advanced medical care.
For years, residents requiring services such as surgery, radiology and specialized maternity care have had to travel outside the area, often delaying treatment and increasing the cost of accessing healthcare.

The upgraded Nyakianga Level – 4 Hospital now has expanded capacity to provide a wider range of services, including a casualty department, antenatal and postnatal care, labour ward, pediatric and female wards, newborn unit, laboratory services, X-ray and ultrasound facilities and a modern theatre.

Male wards have also been constructed as part of the expansion, giving the facility additional capacity to handle patients requiring admission and specialized care.

Commissioning the facility on Saturday, Murang’a Governor, Irungu Kang’ata, said the investment was part of the county government’s efforts to ensure residents can access quality healthcare within their localities.

He observed that the county was progressively upgrading health facilities across the county to Level Four status, with the aim of reducing unnecessary referrals and easing pressure on Murang’a Level Five Hospital.

Kang’ata cited other investments in the health sector, including the upgrading of Kigumo Hospital, which has been equipped with a nine-machine dialysis centre, while Muriranjas Hospital is being developed as a telemedicine hub.

“Kandara Hospital is also undergoing expansion, while the county has constructed new facilities such as the Kenneth Matiba Hospital at Makenji along the Thika Superhighway.” He added.

The Governor noted that the investments were intended to decentralize healthcare services and ensure residents can access essential and specialized treatment closer to their homes.

Gitugi resident and County Executive Committee Member for Culture and Sports, Manoah Gachucha, welcomed the upgrade, saying the expanded facility would address a longstanding challenge of residents travelling outside Mathioya for medical services.

Gitugi Member of the County Assembly (MCA), Mwangi Wairagu, described the project as an important investment in improving healthcare infrastructure in the area saying residents would now have access to services that were previously available only in larger hospitals.

Residents also welcomed the development stating that the availability of emergency and specialized services locally would save them time and money.

Pricilla Njeri said the facility would be particularly important for patients requiring urgent treatment, while John Mwangi expressed optimism that the expanded services would reduce referrals to distant hospitals.

Medical Superintendent Dr David Wamburi said the hospital would now be able to offer services that previously required patients to be referred elsewhere.

He said the availability of theatre and radiology services, including X-ray and ultrasound, would enable medical teams to diagnose and manage a wider range of conditions within the facility.

“The expansion is also expected to strengthen maternal and child healthcare through the labour ward, antenatal and postnatal units, pediatric ward and newborn unit,” he added.

The increased capacity at Nyakianga is part of Murang’a County Government’s wider investment in health infrastructure and service delivery, with the county seeking to make healthcare more accessible while reducing pressure on higher-level facilities.

The move is also expected to contribute to improved response to emergencies and reduce the time patients spend travelling to referral hospitals, particularly those from the more remote parts of Mathioya.

by Bernard Munyao/Purity Mugo