MTRH Begins Construction of Kenya’s First Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Centre

Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) has commenced construction of Kenya’s first Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Centre, a specialised facility expected to improve access to healthcare, rehabilitation and developmental support for children with neurodevelopmental conditions.

In an update on Friday, November 6, the hospital said the project officially began on Thursday, November 5, when MTRH Chief Executive Officer Philip Kirwa handed over the construction site.

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MTRH said the facility would address the growing need for specialised services for children with neurodevelopmental conditions.

"‎Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) has embarked on the construction of a Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Centre to expand access to specialized healthcare, rehabilitation and developmental support for children with neurodevelopmental conditions," the statement read.

According to the hospital, the project is scheduled to take a year to complete and will bring together different services to provide comprehensive care for children and their families.

"‎The project is scheduled for completion within twelve months and will provide an integrated model of healthcare, rehabilitation, education and family support services," the statement added.

The hospital said the facility would address existing gaps in specialised care by bringing together professionals from different disciplines to provide coordinated services within the hospital.

"‎The new centre will bridge these gaps by bringing coordinated, multidisciplinary services closer to children and their families within the hospital," the statement further read.

The Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Centre is strategically located next to the Shoe4Africa Children's Hospital, Riley Mother and Baby Hospital and the Mental Health & Rehabilitative Services Unit.

The location is expected to strengthen collaboration between the facilities and ensure continuity of care across maternal health, paediatric healthcare, mental health and rehabilitation services.

MTRH noted that the proximity of the centre to the existing facilities would also make it easier for healthcare professionals to coordinate the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of children experiencing developmental challenges.

"‎The suitable location will also facilitate collaboration among the relevant directorates and healthcare professionals involved in the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of children with developmental challenges," the statement noted.

Through the integrated approach, the centre is expected to support children's developmental progress, improve their ability to perform everyday activities and enhance their overall quality of life.

"‎Through an integrated, multidisciplinary approach, the centre will support children's developmental progress, enhance their functional abilities and improve their overall quality of life," the statement read.

Speaking during the project launch, Kirwa said the facility would significantly strengthen the hospital's capacity to provide specialised services to children across the region.

"At completion, in twelve months' time, the centre will strengthen the capacity of the two directorates of Paediatrics and Mental Health and Rehabilitative Services to provide specialized services to hundreds of children in this region," he said.

The project is being implemented through a partnership between Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and the Indiana Institute for Global Health Kenya.

This comes weeks after the Defence Forces Memorial Hospital (DFMH) recorded a major medical milestone after conducting its first-ever red blood cell exchange procedure.

In a statement on Monday, October 5, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) said the procedure was performed at the hospital’s Renal Unit on Friday, October 2, using the newly acquired Spectra Optia® apheresis system. 

According to the Force, the procedure involved a 15-year-old female patient living with sickle cell disease.

KDF said the successful procedure marked an important development in the hospital’s provision of specialised, technology-enabled medical care.

"Defence Forces Memorial Hospital (DFMH) has achieved a major medical milestone after successfully conducting its first red blood cell exchange using the newly acquired Spectra Optia® apheresis system," the statement read.

According to KDF, the red blood cell exchange was made possible through the hospital’s new apheresis capability, which allows clinicians to process blood selectively and carry out specialised therapeutic procedures.

Apheresis is an advanced blood-processing procedure that separates specific components of a patient’s blood while returning the remaining components to the body. 

The technology can therefore be used to tailor treatment to particular medical conditions.

In a red blood cell exchange, abnormal or sickled red blood cells are removed from a patient’s circulation and replaced with compatible donor red blood cells.

The procedure reduces the proportion of sickled cells in the bloodstream and can form part of specialised management for patients with sickle cell disease.

KDF said the successful procedure would broaden DFMH’s ability to manage complex blood disorders and deliver specialised interventions to eligible patients.

"Its successful completion marks an important expansion of DFMH’s capacity to manage complex blood disorders through specialised and technology-enabled care," the statement added.

KDF said the acquisition of the Spectra Optia® system is also expected to support the hospital’s ability to undertake additional therapeutic apheresis procedures and strengthen advanced transfusion services.