Mercy Mission Hospital, formerly known as Eldama Ravine Mission hospital, was established in 1969 by the Sisters of Mercy, and has remained rooted at the center of excellence.
Within the confines of godly values, the health facility continues to offer its holistic care by providing accessible, quality, and affordable healthcare to the community as a non-profitable organization in Baringo County.
It serves patients from all walks of life, from Kenya and beyond.
It’s old days
With it being approximately 62 kilometers from Nakuru City, the hospital has, for over 50 years, shared its integrity, professionalism, love, respect, diligence, confidentiality, and teamwork with the community.
These values have boosted the hospital’s reputation to where it is now.
Having started with the Outpatient Wing in 1968, the hospital was inaugurated by the second President of Kenya, Daniel Arap Moi, who was the then Vice president, in 1969.
In the 1970s, the hospital was expanded through the construction of its big theatre, which is now a go-to in the county for crucial surgeries.
The maternity wing followed and has ever since experienced big numbers of women delivering in the facility, a trust that has grown to date.
The laboratory and the pharmacy are other service outlets within the hospital that continue experiencing the evolving technology.
In 1993, the congregational superiors overseas hinted at some changes that led the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru (CDN) to hand over the running of the hospital to the congregation of St Theresa of the Child Jesus from Bukoba, Tanzania.
Ten years later, in 2003, the Sisters returned the institution to the Diocese to date, and they usually deploy a priest as an Administrator.
Father Francis Mugo is the current Mercy Mission Hospital Administrator.
Famously known as Mercy Mission Hospital, it has evolved over the decades and served top leaders even outside Africa.
Its purpose of providing medical services through approaches that meet the best standards in medical practice to optimize treatment outcomes and satisfy its clients has been evident within the community through its outreaches and dedication to helping out schools within the region whenever there is a need to attend to a healthcare call.
Currently
The medical services are aligned with the requirements of Kenya’s Health Ministry and the facility’s vision.
The 24-hour operating hospital made history by being the first medical facility to start its outreach missions to Timboroa, Molo, and Emining and has since then transversed different corners of Baringo County.
The process is enriched by its medical experts, who identify most locations’ probable diseases and direct the outreach missions there.
Conditions that burden the population include pneumonia and other respiratory conditions, gastrointestinal illnesses, and non-communicable diseases, mainly diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis.
Other conditions of notable presence are physical injuries of diverse etiologies and HIV/AIDS.
Its established services include general out-patient and in-patient services, maternity, maternal and child health, dental care, and HIV/AIDS, among other clinics.
Clinical support is offered through the pharmacy, laboratory, physiotherapy, nutrition and radiography sections.
For in-patient care, the facility has a bed capacity of 110 that stretches to 120 when the number of patients increases.
The increase is because the hospital serves a catchment of over 4000 people.
Mercy Mission Hospital is mostly depended on by the population in Baringo County, loops larger facilities outside the county when the need arises to decongest or refer patients requiring specialized attention to facilities in Eldoret and Nakuru in line with the Ministry of Health (MOH) continuum of the care system.
The health facility is gradually charting its future to continue with the noble mission the Sisters of Mercy started.
The community in Baringo bears the testimony that Mercy is a facility of its kind, known for giving dedicated and selfless health and spiritual care.
Technology use
To fully and effectively serve its clients, the hospital has always embraced technology to upgrade its services through upgraded, up-to-date machines.
The Dental and the X-ray Units were the latest to upgrade, evidence of the hospital’s growth.
This has seen specialists from those faculties educate the community on the dental health complications that neglect can cause to a person’s dental formula.
With this, it is now a normal trend to see the population with teeth braces from the hospital for sensitization on their medical advantages on the teeth, a trend which was dismissed as weird before in the county.
The hospital’s expansive theatre continues to save patients and their families from the stress of having to go outside the county for some surgeries.
Its private wards offer a ray of comfort to those in need of private services.
Under the hospital’s Administrator, Fr. Francis Mugo, it has charted its way on an upward scale from the Level 4 status it was on when it attained 50 years.
The facility has improved its services and is on a path to have major infrastructure changes.
Fr. Mugo appreciates that the community has been very supportive and the only way the hospital can reciprocate is by continuing to offer quality services.
Self-less services
“In terms of care, we are devoted to improving our services to offer only quality care. We are a faith-based organization and our clients expect the trust to continue. We are even planning to upgrade our facility to a more modern one, to provide good and homely, conducive and safe environment for the patients and their families,” he says.
With Baringo County experiencing a lot of insecurity that cuts across different sectors like food security, education and even shelter, he says the hospital stretches itself too, especially when serving patients who can hardly afford their bills, services that other hospitals cannot offer.
“Giving back to the community is our tradition. By understanding the demography of our county, we are able to join hands and be part of ensuring the success of community based organizations that help improve the living and health standards of our people,” explains Fr. Mugo.
On community service, he says, “We have worked with Baringo Mentors to ensure that needy students attend school. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we distributed food to those that could not afford it. Because of the main purpose of being a Mission hospital, the community will always look upon us.”
As organizations evolve with the current speed experienced, mission organizations are at a disadvantage.
Mercy Mission Hospital’s history of being a faith-based institution has led them to continue with outreach missions where they offer medical services even for free.
Partnerships and sponsorships have been the driving forces of most Mission Hospitals.
“We are a very flexible organization we also participate in the Chemususu Marathon and other community activities,” says Fr. Mugo.
Like other organizations, it is not all rosy, as challenges are a measure of the organization’s strength.
Mercy Hospital, having been established by The Sisters of Mercy, also has Sisters offering their services. Their presence gives the clients a sense of comfort and a feeling of care. This is due to the established trust towards Sisters.
Sister Pauline Mumbua is one of the Sisters in Mercy Mission Hospital, together with sister Chepkoech. They mingle with the patients and their caregivers and offer counseling services whenever approached.
“The main essence of our presence is to ensure the patient is given the best care. Mercy Hospital is trying its best to offer good, affordable and friendly healthcare in Baringo County.
Many clients are happy and satisfied. We use any complaints to build ourselves and do a good job. It’s my dream that we get to Level 5. Our teamwork will get us that promotion,” says Sister Pauline.
The institution has employed about 70% of its professional practitioners from within the county and 30% from outside to represent the various diversities of cultures.
The practitioners and the subordinate staff are dedicated to ensuring optimal hospital productivity by offering good stewardship and oversight with good values that trickle down to the clients.
The institution enjoys immense teamwork and synergy of effort to get the best results.
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The hospital enjoys good political good and mutual benefits with the local corporate and business entities, its suppliers, and the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru.
This enables the facility to continue progressing in its mission to empower the society as the hospital continues to provide rehabilitative, preventive health care services and health promotion.
Nice 👍🙂