The partnerships department at KUTRRH has facilitated the steady rise of the Hospital into a regional Centre of excellence in clinical care, training, research and innovation. Infection prevention for instance is paramount in all spheres of life really, but most especially in a hospital setting. KUTRRH forged a partnership with Centers for International Programs-ICAP, who conducted a baseline assessment survey on the status of infection, prevention and control (IPC) in the Hospital. ICAP then conducted an IPC training for healthcare providers and followed up with a post training assessment. While the baseline survey ranked the Hospital at 55% in IPC, the Hospital is now at 90% IPC adherence, thanks to the partnership with ICAP. Cancer is the third leading cause of deaths in Kenya. It remains the flagship project for the Hospital, which has invested heavily in skill sets and infrastructure to play its part in fighting the scourge. Over and above this, through service level partnerships and collaborations, the Hospital is availing much needed consumables in cancer diagnostics to more patients within and without the country. PET CT scans are a necessary imaging test to diagnose and stage cancer for a patient to confirm if they indeed have cancer and to better understand their type and stage of cancer.
This is the test that previously enabled heavy outbound tourism to India but is now readily available locally and covered by the NHIF, at least at KUTRRH. The Hospital, through the Ministry of Health, in its bid to decrease the cancer burden on Kenyans acquired a mega cyclotron that can produce radioisotopes, required in PET CT scanning, enough to supply, the Hospital and the rest of the country. The idea was to have KUTRRH produce the radioisotopes and supply them to other facilities that would only need to purchase the PET CT scanner. The Aga Khan University Hospital, The Nairobi West Hospital and HCG CCK Cancer Centre are so far acquiring these radioisotopes from KUTRRH, availing the PET CT scanning service to even more Kenyans and increasing inbound medical tourism.
The Partnerships department in conjunction with the department of Corporate Communications and Marketing is working with the Kenya Tourism Board to position KUTRRH as an excellent medical tourism hub. KUTRRH is revolutionizing the face of public health in Kenya with world-class service delivery. In early 2024, KUTRRH hosted a Breast Cancer Reconstruction Workshop that was conducted by surgeons from all over the world. In partnership with the Kenya Tourism Board, the Hospital is planning to conduct its first medical marathon with numerous stakeholders to showcase its services and to provide a platform for medical practitioners to rally and share best practices. The Hospital has a robust Chaplaincy and a counselling department catering to the psychosocial needs of the staff and patients. Patient and staff numbers rise every day. To boost their efforts, the Partnerships department has facilitated the onboarding of the Ridgeways Baptist Church and soon, CITAM: Christ is The Answer Ministries, to offer all-inclusive, professional psychosocial support and more.
The Hospital is also a training and research facility as there is a shift from preference of age-old practices to a more evidence-based approach to problem-solving. In this regard, in June this year, the department facilitated the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Mount Kenya University (MKU) allowing clinical placement and collaboration in research at KUTRRH. Thus far, some medical innovation ideas from MKU personnel have been incubated at the KUTRRH Innovation Accelerator Hub, the two parties are also collaborating in a research for esophageal cancer with many more engagements in the works. The Gertrude’s Institute of Child Health and Research and Dedan Kimathi University of Technology are also new additions to the long list of higher learning institutions working with the Hospital to impart on the next generation of formidable health care providers. Further, in training and capacity building, the Hospital has been a benchmark for excellent patient care to numerous facilities including The University of Houston-Clear Lake- USA, Strathmore University, Moi Teaching and referral Hospital, Southeastern Kenya University, Isiolo Teaching and Referral Hospital, County Government of Nakuru County Assembly, County Government of Kajiado, Kitui County Government, among others.
The Hospital has forged a partnership with AstraZeneca which has consistently supported the Hospital since the Covid 19 pandemic. The company has donated resources and supported the Hospital with capacity building over a long time. In 2024 they donated a Biopsy Ultrasound machine, 2 BARD Magnum Biopsy Guns,500 BARD Magnum disposable needles G18 x 20cm,1,500 PSA test kits and 1,500 buffers and a I-chroma immunoassay analyzer machine. A true embodiment of the spirit of partnership that the department has coordinated for the Hospital is evidenced by partnerships with other organizations like the Elizabeth Glasser Pediatric Aids Foundation which donated pharmaceuticals. Médecins Sans Frontières have donated Personal protective equipment (PPE). The KIDSOR organization installed artwork on a section of the Hospital’s surgical areas to create a designated children’s surgical area. The National Cancer Centre for Global Health and Medicine (NCCGM – Japanese Government Hospital), and Fujifilm, Japan, conducted a mammography training, building the capacity of the mammographers in KUTRRH. City Cancer Challenge facilitated an oncology training for KUTRRH oncology personnel. In the works, is a Pediatric Disaster Medicine Seminar in conjunction with the Embassy of Israel, slated for August 2024.
Striving for excellence often requires a consistent quest for self-improvement. The partnerships department has been at the forefront of resource mobilization efforts with different stakeholders globally. These include seeking exchange programs for staff upskilling, efforts towards funding for the Hospital’s capital projects through grants, donor relations, and joint ventures with Embassies, Foundations and even Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) The partnerships department enables the Hospital to give its patients superior products and services they need, want and desire at favorable rates. Accountability is accelerated in partnerships due to its multi-stakeholder nature, boosting performance, consequently ensuring value-based service delivery. A frequently asked question for the department has always been, “what do you do in partnerships?” The bottom line is that the department’s mission is “enhancing the health and well-being of Kenyans and global citizens through provision of patient-centered and evidence-based healthcare at KUTRRH.” The Partnerships Department at KUTRRH: Enhancing the Health and Well-Being of Kenyans and Global Citizens.