Patients seeking specialised heart treatment in Kenya received a major boost on Friday after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale officially opened a new Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab) at AGC Tenwek Hospital in Bomet County.
The newly installed unit will allow doctors to diagnose and treat heart and blood vessel conditions using minimally invasive procedures, cutting long waiting times and easing the burden on patients who previously had to travel abroad for such services. Health officials say the facility will play a key role in saving lives by improving access to timely and advanced cardiac care.
While touring the 176-bed hospital, CS Duale described Tenwek as a unique facility, noting that it is the only hospital in the country fully dedicated to cardiology. He added that it is also the only cardiothoracic centre in East and Sub-Saharan Africa, placing Kenya in a strong position to serve patients from across the region.
Tenwek Hospital has 17 operating theatres and 44 intensive and high-dependency care beds, and serves more than 234,000 patients every year. The Cabinet Secretary said the expanded services support the government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goal of ensuring Kenyans can access quality healthcare without financial hardship.
During his visit to Bomet County, Duale also unveiled the Bomet Health Centre Service Charter, a move aimed at protecting patients’ rights. He reiterated that all health facilities, both public and private, must display service charters to promote transparency, curb overcharging and help patients understand the services they are entitled to.
The Cabinet Secretary was received by Benjamin Siele, Senior Executive Doctor Russel White and Robert Lang’at, who said the new Cath Lab will go a long way in improving heart care for patients in Kenya and the wider region.
