Israeli’s largest children hospital has agreed to partner with Nyandarua County in putting up the first ever paediatric hospital in this region to be located in Ol’Kalou town.
This emerged yesterday after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Nyandarua Governor H.E. Daniel Waithaka Mwangi and the President of Shneider Children Hospital Prof. Joseph Press.
The event in Ol’Kalou town was witnessed by Israeli ambassador to Kenya H.E. Yahel Vilan, the Speaker of Nyandarua County Assembly Hon. Wahome Ndegwa, several Members of the County Assembly, officials from the county government and key members of the Israeli delegation led by the Ambassador.
The MoU “concerns the collaboration in the area of technical support and human resource development in the health sector in the proposed development of the Nyandarua County Children’s Hospital.”
Schneider, one of the largest children hospitals in the world, undertakes over 8,000 open-heart surgeries per year and has some of the most experienced doctors in dealing with ailments that affect children.
Speaking outside his office, before he conducted the delegation on a tour of the proposed site for the construction of the hospital, the governor said the events leading to the signing of the MoU was a “dream come true.”
“We have travelled a long journey with our partners from Israel and have exchanged visits, but the events today mark a major development in the economic partnership between us,” he said.
Ambassador Vilan was equally pleased with the new development, declaring that Israelis were in “Nyandarua to stay.”
He said Israeli professionals will work with the leadership of Nyandarua in carrying out major projects in the areas of water, agriculture, health and infrastructure.”
“We have resolved to work with Nyandarua and we expect this will be a model county in the development of water, health and agriculture,” declared the ambassador.
While touring the site for the proposed hospital, the ambassador declared that Israelis had major experience in harnessing water which they hoped to use for the benefit of the people of Nyandarua.
“I hear some people talk of dry areas in Kenya; I have not seen any such areas unless one has not visited our country and see what we have done to generate water from the desert,” he said.
Speaker of County Assembly Hon. Ndegwa Wahome declared the Assembly was solidly behind the executive in the implementation of de development projects by partners from Israel.
“There are some people who don’t appreciate anything that is being done by others but we shall not allow them to derail these projects which are for public good,” declared the Speaker.
Mr. Wahome said it was the height of hypocrisy for individuals serving in the government to antagonize the leadership of the county for selfish reasons.
The delegation was later conducted on a tour of tourist sites and overflew Lake Ol’bolosat before visiting Thomson’s Falls in Nyahururu town.
The event was attended by executive committee members who included Dr. Peter Kung’u (Health), Grace Gitonga (Water and energy), Agatha Thuo (Agriculture), Peter Gathimba (Tourism and Sports), Gitau Thabanja (Lands), Judy Mwangi (Co-operatives) and Peter Macharia (Education, Youth and culture).
