Health CS Mutahi Kagwe on Sunday launched the Kenyatta National Hospital Diagnostic Imaging Centre in Nairobi to help with the testing process for the coronavirus.
According to Kagwe, the centre will enable fast and real time medical interpretation of CT scan images sent from hospitals across the country to foster early diagnosis and management of medical cases.
The CS said this is in line with his ministry’s endeavour to use technology to disseminate some of its key services.
“Instead of sending a radiologist in the 37 counties, for example, that we are communicating with CT scans from those counties can be interpreted here by just one or two radiologists. So you can see the efficiency and the gains in terms of human capital that we can achieve through the use of technology,” he said.
“Very soon we’re going to have major operations being done in Kenya by our own doctors, cooperating with doctors in India, Wuhan, USA, Britain and elsewhere. Where those who have travelled for oversees countries for care can actually be done here.”
KNH Board Chairman Engineer Nicholas Gumbo and CEO Dr Evanson Kamuri also reiterated that the national referral hospital is working to insure that Kenyans get the best and quality health care during this trying period.
“What we have done is to demonstrate how we are going to use big data, connectivity and artificial intelligence to write real time interpretation of CT scan images, so that we can quicken knowledge sharing, early diagnosis and management of medical cases that we come across which is particularly important in this era of covid-19,” said Eng Gumbo.
He added: “They are also connected with 37 counties. As KNH we are ready and always been ready to play our falcon role in ensuring that we succeed in this endeavour. As a country we’re determined to make sure Kenya gets the quality health care that it deserves. We are putting technology to where and what it should be. I want to assure Kenyans that we are not sleeping to assure that you remain safe.”
Kagwe launched an MRI Machine that will connect live to Wuhan China for timely demonstrations and information sharing in the fight against Covid-19.
The Health at the same time revealed he would brief the country on developments in the fight to tame coronavirus infections and new measures to be taken after an emergency meeting of the National Emergency Committee slated for Sunday 2.30pm.
