Addressing Hospital Infrastructure Challenges in Kenya: A Call for Improved Standards

In recent years, Kenya has made significant strides in its healthcare system. However, challenges persist in hospital infrastructure, hindering the delivery of optimal healthcare services. This article sheds light on some prevalent issues affecting hospital infrastructure in Kenya and proposes solutions to address them.

Below are the issues of concerns:

Poor Drainage Systems

The absence of proper drainage systems in hospital buildings is one of the primary concerns in Kenya’s healthcare industry.

Poor drainage not only poses a risk to the structural integrity of the facilities but also increases the likelihood of waterborne diseases, adding to the already existing health issues. Also, there’s a likelihood of patients fearing to seek medical assistance in such premises due to safety reasons, defeating the goal of providing healthcare to all and sundry.

Therefore, it is imperative that hospitals invest in robust drainage systems to ensure the overall well-being of patients and staff. You also want the premises to be accessible to all those who require medical assistance at any given time of the day.

?Lack of High-Quality Operating Rooms

Operating theatres form a crucial aspect of hospital infrastructure; life saving operations are done here, hence equipping it shouldn’t be a matter of deliberation.

Despite this in mind, you’ll find theatres lacking essential requirements such as AGSS (Anesthetic Gas Scavenging System), laminar flow, and pass boxes, which are crucial for preventing cross-contamination.

Others lack equipment in place, like medical pendants, which help in minimizing operating equipment movement. The lack thereof increases the risk of damage to essential medical equipment, especially during cleaning procedures. Damaging such equipment hinders or delays the execution of necessary medical procedures. Also, the repair costs are quite high.

Adopting modular infrastructure that aligns with international standards can significantly improve the quality of healthcare delivery, ensuring a sterile environment in surgical theatres.

It could help if hospital management familiarized themselves with the necessary standards and technology through training and self-education to ensure they don’t miss any vital aspect during implementation.

?Lack of Power Isolation and Backup.

Power isolation is vital in ensuring critical hospital departments don’t experience power outages as a result of minor issues in other departments. Imagine a scenario where an office administrator plugs in an appliance that overloads a system, causing power disruption which also affects power supply in theatres and Intensive Care Units (ICUs.) Unfortunately, these are the daily occurrences of some hospital facilities.

The lack of power isolation results in an increased risk in patient safety, especially those in critical condition. Besides patient safety, isolation aids in the protection of ICU and theatre equipment from high frequency generated from other equipment like from Radiology department.

Therefore, it’s paramount that hospitals prioritize the installation of reliable power isolation and backup systems in critical areas to guarantee uninterrupted power supply.

?Poor Infection Control

It goes without saying that hospitals can be the hub of infections if care is thrown out of the wind. Most health facilities solely focus on controlling infections when handling patients, e.g. putting on gloves and sanitizing surfaces and bedding, which is commendable.

However, the flooring is often a left-out aspect. Yes, floors are cleaned several times a day, but is that enough in ensuring infection control? You’ll find hospitals adopting general flooring finishes, like tiles.

Are tiles the ideal solution for hospitals, where hygiene is vital? Tiles are fixed through jointing, an aspect that increases the harboring of germs. The surface might be clean but the joints are where germs accumulate, increasing the risk of infection spread.

It’s time hospitals adopted hospital-grade flooring solutions, like antibacterial and antiviral vinyl flooring. This solution is homogenous; hence, you don’t have to worry about bacterial accumulating along the joints.

Antibacterial vinyl flooring also prevents the growth of bacteria on your floors. This property owes from the fact that antibacterial agents are incorporated into the flooring material during manufacturing and virus not able to survive on the surface for a longer period which reduce infection rate.

Therefore, it’s best hospital facilities adopted hospital-grade flooring to increase their infection control measures and promote a cleaner and safer environment for both patients and healthcare providers.

?Poor Radiation Protection

Radiation is a widely used phenomenon in the Radiology department. Medical experts use it to diagnose patients and manage some conditions like cancer.

Although beneficial, there are side effects in cases of exposure. Some of these side effects include but aren’t limited to hair loss, nausea, vomiting, radiation burns, and even death.

Some hospitals haven’t put adequate systems in place to prevent radiation exposure to patients and staff. Others have systems in place, but they aren’t well-installed leading to leakages.

It’s best that healthcare facilities implement adequate shielding on the floors, doors, walls, and even the ceiling. Also, these facilities should hire a highly-qualified team to do the shielding to eliminate any errors, without forgetting regular maintenance and monitoring during use.

?Poor Building Standards

Building standards go beyond the physical structure of a hospital facility. They also touch on building elements like doors, windows, and walls.

In most cases, care and quality is focused on the building’s skeleton, leaving doors and internal walls neglected. Here, facilities will adopt low-quality materials, often with the aim of reducing costs.

However, is this viable in the long-term?

The answer is no; some hospital rooms experience high traffic and increased possibilities of wear and tear. For instance, stretchers are always hitting doors and walls, especially during emergencies, resulting to damage. With these, there’ll be an increased need for repairs, increasing hospital budgets. Where funds aren’t available, the elements are left with dents, paint chippings, etc., a sight that’s unpleasant.

Adopting high-quality solutions in a hospital, like implementing corner guard, hand rails, scratch resistant coated doors, antiviral and antibacterial PVC cladding is the way to go. You’ll enjoy longevity in your hospital infrastructure.

?Excessive Staff Traffic

As stated earlier, hospital facilities can be ground for disease and infection spread without proper measures in place.

One of the measures several hospitals assume is managing staff traffic along the hospitals’ corridors. The main issue here is the increased chances of cross contamination.

Some bacteria tend to linger longer on surfaces, including clothes, in this case, scrubs. With excessive staff traffic, staff might rub or brush against each other as they move from one patient to another. The brushing of shoulders and scrubs might lead to the transfer of bacteria from one specialist to another, and possibly to patients, causing cross contamination.

Addressing the issue of excessive traffic of hospital staff between patients is vital for maintaining a conducive healthcare environment.

Installing a nurse call and patient monitoring systems can help minimize unnecessary staff movement, streamlining communication and improving overall efficiency.

?Poor Gas Handling and Monitoring Systems

Various gases are utilized in a hospital setting to facilitate efficient health care provision. Although beneficial, these gases in excessive quantities can harm patients and staff health. In other cases, there’s a possibility of a fire hazard.

Prevention is better than cure; hence, hospitals should prioritize the implementation of proper gas monitoring systems with alarms. These will detect high gas levels and notify the personnel responsible for their maintenance.

Additionally, adopting manifolds and gas piping to wall outlets to replace individual cylinders in wards, ICUs and theatres can enhance safety by minimizing the risk of gas leakages or accidents. You can imagine a gas cylinder flying through a wall at a high-speed due accidental nozzle breakage.

?Conclusion

Addressing these infrastructure challenges in Kenyan hospitals requires a concerted effort from healthcare authorities, facility managers, and policymakers. By investing in modern and standardized infrastructure, Kenya can significantly improve the quality of healthcare services, ensuring a safer and more efficient healthcare environment for all.

Written by

Masitsah James Livondo

Medical Engineer