Introduction:
Research conducted by Murang'a County Health Department in partnership with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) revealed a growing crisis of chronic kidney disease affecting the region. The joint study revealed that 15% of Murang'a County’s adult population now shows signs of kidney impairment, with cases increasing by 22% over the past three years according to hospital records. This silent epidemic has created impossible choices for patients across the County's rural sub-counties, where only four dialysis machines serve over 1 million residents. The severe shortage forces patients to either endure waitlists for months at Murang'a Level 5 Hospital and Kigumo Sub-county Hospital, trips that cost families nearly 60% of their average monthly income in transportation and treatment fees. Many vulnerable patients, particularly from areas like Kandara and Gatanga, simply abandon treatment altogether, with health centers reporting a 35% dropout rate among diagnosed cases.
This situation impelled Murang'a County to partner with health technology provider Benacare and JKUAT's biomedical engineering experts to develop an innovative solution. Their collaboration produced Kenya's first fully mobile dialysis unit, a medical facility on wheels designed specifically to reach underserved populations.
The Renal Roads Dialysis Truck represents a technological marvel in decentralized healthcare, equipped with specialized equipment that maintains hospital-grade treatment standards while operating in rural communities. Beyond its life-saving dialysis capabilities, the unit carries advanced screening tools to detect early-stage kidney disease, a critical intervention point that could prevent future cases.
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