Deputy President William Ruto launched equipment worth Sh500 million at the Mama Lucy Kibaki Level 5 Hospital, Umoja, Nairobi County, as part of the efforts to transforming the country’s healthcare system.

The equipment includes an Oxygen plant (Sh100 million), Radiology equipment (Sh 243 million) and theatre Instruments and sterilizing Equipment (Sh 91.7million) among others.

Speaking after distributing the equipment, Mr Ruto said the apparatus, which is part of the Managed Equipment Services Programme (MES), would benefit residents of Eastland’s among other areas in Nairobi County.

The Deputy President who was with Governor Mike Sonko (Nairobi) said the distribution of equipment under the MES programme was aimed at increasing access to specialized health services.

“The equipping of hospitals, specialised training of health workers, promoting access to preventive and curative services to all are steps leading to universal healthcare. The availability of medical oxygen in public hospitals will save lives and ease patients’ financial burden” said the Deputy President.

“Mama Lucy Kibaki is one of the hospitals that benefited from specialised medical equipment by the Government of Kenya through the Managed Equipment Services Programme in the financial year, 2015/2016,” said Mr Ruto.

He said other than saving Sh20 million, the Oxygen Plant is approximated to raise Sh 40 million yearly from sales to other health facilities.

“These are some of the efforts and commitment by the Government in collaboration with the development partners to increase access to specialized health services geared towards achieving Universal Health Coverage,” said Mr Ruto.

Mr Ruto said the Government was committed to working with development partners to increase access to specialized health services.

“We will help set up a renal unity at Mama Lucy Hospital to help reduce pressure at the Kenyatta National Hospital,” said Mr Ruto.

The Deputy President said the Government was committed to ensuring Kenyans get proper healthcare through the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

The Oxygen Plant was supported by joint efforts of Department For International Development (DFID) United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Hewa Tele Organization.

UNICEF’s Chief of Health, Kenya, Mr Rory Nefdt said thousands of children suffer pneumonia, saying the oxygen plant will help reduce deaths associated to the disease.