Penda in X-ray, Ultrasound Services deal

Penda Health has partnered with Phil- lips Foundation to provide X-ray and ultrasound services to clients at its Kimathi Street Branch. Nairobi. The branch serves as an in-network referral centre for Penda patients who need more specialised services. Penda Health chief operating officer, Karim Moldeina said the aim is to bring provide quality healthcare to the low to mid income level patients. "We intend to work together with Philips Foundation towards more cooperation as we venture into the future in line with our goals," he said.

Other specialist services offered in the Kimathi Street branch are physician. gynecologist. pediatrician consultations. dental services. advanced ultrasound, and advanced diagnostics and lab tests. Penda offers outpatient healthcare service to over 250,000 yearly.

"We believe that with this collaboration. which helps to overcome the obstacle to cover for investments in equipment up front. we can help enable Penda to fulfill its ambition to grow the number of hubs and spokes," Phillips Foundation Director Margot Cooijmans said.. – Lynet Igadwah

Service Milestone

A nurse at a Penda Health clinic, Repha Mandela, examines Victorline Awuor on Friday, the healthcare provider's one-millionth patient since its inception in 2012. The firm has 21 medical centers

Happy Millionth Patient

Penda Health Chief Medical Officer Robert Korom (left) is joined by Thika Road Regional Manager Beatrice Moraa (right) to celebrate the health provider’s one millionth patient Victorline Awuor. Penda has served a million patients since inception in 2012. It has over 21 medical centers in Nairobi, Kiambu, and Kajiado counties.

Medical services firm opens referral centre

Penda Health, a medical services provider operating in Nairobi and its environs, has opened a referral centre offering specialist services. The firm is expanding its affordable healthcare model with an eye to serve more than 400,000 patients this year.

The facility in Nairobi's central business district will provide services such as paediatric, gynaecology and dental consultations, and advanced ultrasound, diagnostics and laboratory tests. This is in addition to the primary care services offered by the provider's other centres. Penda Health General Manager Kenya Marion Kago said the referral centre will serve as a hub for advanced clinical support to patients who will not have to seek services in other health facilities. thus offering convenience.

The healthcare provider is also strengthening its tech-enabled clinical health plat-form dubbed 'Pigia Penda' as part of its telemedicine strategy, to deliver services to patients virtually. "Early on, we realised that telemedicine will be an essential component of healthcare," Ms Kago said in a statement. "We are currently receiving over 1.500 calls monthly. mak-ing over 2,000 proactive out-reach calls to our patients and coordinating home drug delivery." [Peter Theuri]

Penda Health spreads its footprint, opens referral centre in Nairobi CBD

Medical services provider Penda Health has opened a referral office in Nairobi increasing its footprint to 21 centres. The referral centre located in Nairobi’s Central Business District will provide specialist services such as pediatric, gynaecology, dental consultations, among others.

“This new referral centre is part of the firm’s goal of expanding access to quality primary health care to Kenyans,” Marion Kago, Penda Health General Manager Kenya said in a statement. She added that the new centre will serve as a hub for advanced clinical support to patients as they will not have to seek services in other referral health facilities.

“The new centre has high quality clinical and diagnostic services and a supportive team ready to walk the journey with our clients to achieve and maintain good health,” said Dr Sarah Kiptiness, Penda’s Head of Quality Improvement. Kiptiness reiterated that the 10-year old health facility’s goal is to offer a one-stop shop where patients, both insured and uninsured, can get quality specialist clinical and diagnostic care.

Outreach calls

Kago stated that the facility is currently receiving over 1,500 calls monthly, making over 2,000 plus proactive outreach calls to their patients and coordinating home drug delivery, while

supporting electronic medical records. Telemedicine is a method of using technology to deliver health care to patients remotely. It links doctors and patients reducing health care delivery costs and improves efficiency. [Bernard Sigei]

Penda Health launches referral medical centre in downtown Nairobi

Penda Health – a network of high-quality, affordable medical centres serving more than 250,000 patients annually – launched its newest referral medical centre in downtown Nairobi, located on Kimathi Street at the Old Mutual Building, opposite the Sarova Stanley Hotel. 

This new Kimathi Street location will serve as an in-network referral centre for Penda patients who need more specialized services. This represents a brand new service offering for Penda Health, including specialist services such as physician, gynaecologist, and paediatrician consultations, dental services, advanced ultrasound, and advanced diagnostics and lab tests. 

These specialist services are offered in addition to the usual suite of primary care services –  including lab, general consultation, and pharmacy – that can be found at their other 21 walk-in branches. In the upcoming months, they also plan to add x-ray services to the Kimathi Street location.

Dr. Sarah Kiptinness, Penda's new Head of Quality Improvement and resident family physician at this location, says, "Our Kimathi Street location is a clean, spacious, welcoming environment where high quality clinical and diagnostic services are offered to our clients at an affordable cost. Together with the 14 insurance partners, Penda Kimathi Street provides quality primary healthcare services in obstetrics, gynaecology, paediatrics, acute and chronic medical care and dental care. It's also the one-stop shop for your annual medical review. Best of all, you will find a supportive team of providers ready to walk the journey with our clients to achieve and maintain good health.”

Penda is committed to expanding access to quality healthcare, not only to uninsured patients but also those covered by corporate insurance. By offering low-cost care that allows insurance covers to last longer, Penda offers the CBD business community – and Nairobi at large – the quality expected from Penda Health at walking distance from their office buildings. 

Penda hopes to pursue direct partnerships with corporates for wellness packages, digital health offerings, and low-cost capitated cover for their employees. To learn more or to organize a tour of the centre, Penda encourages interested parties to contact Penda’s Head of External Affairs, Salome Mwaura (salome.mwaura@pendahealth.com).

Penda Health appoints CFO as growth phase picks momentum

Ms Freshiah Nganga

Primary health care solutions provider Penda Health has announced the appointment of key executives as it seeks to deepen its corporate leadership pool.

Penda Health, a growing operator of quality and affordable medical centres in Nairobi city and its environs, has appointed finance professional Ms Freshiah Nganga as its Chief Financial Officer. Joining Penda Health from Ethiopia based Investment firm, Flow Equity LLC, Ms. Nganga has been tapped to lead Penda Health’s Finance Management function.

Speaking when she confirmed the appointment, Penda Health General Manager for Medical Centres, Ms. Marion Kago, said Ms. Nganga would provide strategic financial leadership support for the health solutions firm, currently focusing on service and product diversification goals.

Penda Health, Kago said, currently operates 17 paperless, technology-enabled medical centres in Nairobi, serving more than 250,000 patients annually.

“At Penda Health, we are excited to welcome such a seasoned professional as Ms. Nganga to lead our Finance Management function. In her new role as the CFO and with her proven experience in financial reporting, fundraising, risk management, stakeholder management, strategic planning and execution, she will be partnering with our Leadership Team to make the company’s most important strategic decisions during this critical phase of our growth,” Kago said, adding that, “Alongside investments in our human capital base, we are currently expanding vertically by adding services, investing heavily in digital health capabilities, and partnering with insurance companies and major employers to provide affordable health insurance to Kenyan families.”

Before joining Penda, Ms. Nganga was serving as the Group CFO at Flow Equity which is one of Ethiopia’s leading venture capital firms with interests in the country’s agricultural sector. She has also previously served in Kenya as the Group CFO for KFC restaurants’ franchisee Kuku Foods East Africa Holdings.

A Masters in Business Administration - Finance option Degree graduate from the United States International University - Africa and a Daystar University Bachelor of Commerce; Accounting, Business Administration and Management Degree alumni, Ms. Nganga started her career as an Audit Senior with Deloitte East Africa.

Penda Health launches home delivery solutions and free virtual consultation for patients

Penda Health has introduced a home drug delivery solution and free virtual consultations for patients in a bid to bolster health outcomes to Kenyans during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The service, dubbed “Pigia Penda,” allows patients to receive a free consultation and an over the phone prescription if needed. Any prescribed medicines are then delivered at a cost.

Speaking while marking the end of a one-month pilot phase, Penda Health’s General Manager for Medical Centres, Marion Kago, said that Penda Health is exploring new avenues of healthcare delivery during this exceptional time when the government is encouraging people to stay at home as part of COVID-19 containment measures. 

“The goal of any healthcare delivery system is to support optimal health outcomes for patients. With this service, we are providing cost-effective and patient-centred alternatives to visiting our branches physically,” Ms. Kago said. “While we remain open to serve patients in our Medical Centres, we know that many patients are not comfortable visiting for less serious complaints. This  virtual option enables us to still attend to patients without requiring the patient to leave the safety of their home.”

The available services under this option include: 

1. Free virtual consultations

2. Prescription of medicine

3. Delivery of medicine.

The service is available for outpatients and payable via mobile money. Patients can access this service by calling Pigia Penda at 020-7909045 24 hours, 7 days of the week. Through this service, patients also access up-to-date information on COVID-19.

On his part, Penda Health’s Head of Clinical Services, Dr. Gabriel Njue said that the coronavirus outbreak has been an accelerator of telehealth—delivery of health services remotely through computers and mobile devices— globally, enabling clinicians as well as patients to have access to service without actually getting exposed to the virus.

“We believe that telehealth is an important way that we can reach patients safely and conveniently, especially during this pandemic. The adaptation of health technologies is one of the ways in which we can continue providing quality healthcare services while ensuring the safety of all parties,” Dr. Njue noted.