Luanda MP Dick Maungu has secured Sh10 million from the national government for renovation and envisaged the elevation of Ekwanda Health Centre in Luanda South Ward, Vihiga County, to a Level 4 hospital.

Maungu said the intervention follows an urgent need at the facility, which has been facing numerous challenges including the recent flooding incident.

Consequently, the MP noted that a team from the National Government led by Dr. Hezron Omollo, Head of Health Infrastructure Projects and Grants Management, held a planning meeting on Friday at the facility towards its improvement.

The team was welcomed by Constituency Manager Peter Ndeche and Luanda South Ward Administrator Ocholla at Ekwanda.

The hospital has recently faced flooding due to surface run-off, forcing the health centre to be closed for several months.

Maungu said through the National Government, he is partnering with the County Government of Vihiga to ensure the hospital gets enough funding in the next supplementary budget to ensure a modern storey building is constructed at the facility, before pushing for its elevation to a Level 4 hospital.

He said the hospital currently serves residents of eight Sub-Locations in Luanda South in Ekwanda Division and residents of neighbouring constituencies of Seme, Kisumu West and Gem.

“Though health is devolved, the National Government can come in through intergovernmental participation assistance, a collaborative framework to ensure the residents benefit through this symbiotic relation,” Maungu said.

Beyond the health facility, the MP said he was also lobbying for the elevation of Maseno VTC to a National Polytechnic, besides a modern market at Ekwanda Centre, and improvement to bitumen standard of the Maseno ATC-Mukhuyu-Ebukuya Road.

By Florence Oteng’o