Garissa county's health sector has received a boost with the launch of 5 kidney dialysis machines in which patients are already receiving treatment for the first time.
According to the CEO of Garissa Referral Hospital, patients with kidney problems have come from as far as Wajir, Mandera, Mwingi and other surrounding areas.
"Basically, this is a service that was really highly needed and it was even late and the need has been there. Renal disease is a disease that has really affected a huge number of the population not only in Garissa county but from all the regions from Wajir, Mandera, Tana River, parts of the refugee camps people coming all the way from Somalia.
So basically we've been referring to Nairobi and because of the distance and the cost many patients were not ready to travel. It will have a huge impact on the patients," said Dr. Salah Dakane, CEO of the hospital.
The impact of the facility is already being felt as the number of people traveling to Nairobi has greatly reduced. Apart from the machines, there are also ICU facilities that work in together with the machines to handle the critically ill patients.
"Kidney infection is a very dangerous disease that can put lives at risk. This has reduced the number of people traveling to Nairobi and the transport expenses as well. Apart from dialysis machines we also have ICU units which take care of kidney patients who are critically ill," said Faraj Amir, a physician in the hospital.
Patients also seem to be happy with the new facilities and have thanked the county government for the project.
"Initially we had to travel to Nairobi for treatment but we now thank Garissa county because we no longer experience the problem,' said Hassan Ali, a patient.