The Kisii County Government has received $10million (KShs.977million) for the establishment of a cancer diagnostics and treatment centre at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital.
This follows the signing of the loan agreement between the National Treasury and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) witnessed by Governor James Ongwae in a ceremony held at Crowne Plaza, Nairobi on Wednesday.
BADEA president and Director General of the Saudi Fund for Development H.E. Yousif Ibrahim Al Bassam was present at the ceremony.
The total cost of the project will be will be US$22.8. BADEA has extended a loan amounting to $10milion towards the co-financing of the project with the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) who will also give $10million. The Government of Kenya will provide the balance of US$2.8 million.
This is a concessional loan, which attracts one per cent interest with a grace period of 10 years and a loan period of 30 years.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich said the establishment of the cancer centre in Kisii County will boost early detection of the disease and reduce the cost incurred by patients who have to travel to Kenyatta National Hospital and even abroad for the service. We shall continue to count on our development partners like the Saudi Fund and BADEA to improve our economy.
While thanking BADEA and the Saudi Fund for Development for their support, Governor Ongwae said the unique project will bring specialized services closer to the people in Kisii County and the South Nyanza region. He also thanked ministry of finance and President Uhuru Kenyatta for their support in the project.
The cancer centre will serve the South Western Sub region whose total population is about 10 million people.
He said Kisii County had been tasked to spearhead the health pillar in the Lake Basin Economic Bloc noting that the initiation this project was part of his efforts to transform the health sector.
The Governor said he will fast track the implementation of this project saying he had prioritized health services and road infrastructure as flagship projects during his tenure.
A recent survey ranked Kisii County sixth best among the 47 Counties in the country, a confirmation that Governor Ongwae’s administration is firmly on track.
The survey indicated that the county scored highly in the areas of health services, agriculture, roads and education.
