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NEWSLINE We Listen, We Care
Issue 15.
28/08/2020
Keep calm! Its food time!
With 10,000 meals made in just a single day, the sky remains the limit for KNH’s Catering Unit By Winfred Gumbo
P
roviding food service, especially in healthcare facilities, poses unique challenges not faced by other commercial kitchens. For patients, the food they receive is one of the major factors that influence how satisfied they are with their stay. But for these healthcare facilities, kitchens aren’t just concerned with keeping patients and visitors fed — they’re also concerned with patient satisfaction, meeting specific dietary requirements, and avoiding contamination with common major allergens. At Kenyatta National Hospital, this responsibility lies squarely with Mrs. Judy Musyoki, who heads the Catering Unit. With her characteristic charm, the eversmiling Mrs. Musyoki welcomes you to her office, filled with the aroma of food cooking in the nearby kitchen. Its almost lunchtime. She’s pacing up and down, ensuring that everything is in order, all the meals have been cooked and ready to be served – to her clients in the hospital. Satisfied that everything is in order, she settles down to speak to Newsline. “Welcome to the Catering Unit, where we ensure all patients, clients, suppliers, staff, and visitors are served a proper meal – a balanced diet of course and beverage,” she says. “As the Catering Manager, I have to ensure all patients are properly fed since food contributes immensely in their Mrs. Judy Musyoki - Catering Manager
Kenyatta National Hospital
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healing process,” adds Mrs. Musyoki. She adds: “Patients cannot take their medicine without food. That’s how important this is. Moreover, our staff require a balanced diet to keep them healthy and satisfied. This, in turn, gives them the energy and drive which leads to effective performance at work.” With a total of 258 staff, majority (190) on whom have been employed to work permanently, with the other 68 on temporary employment, a typical day at the Unit starts shortly after 5 am and she greatly appreciates the dedication and committment shown by the staff. “We must ensure that breakfast is ready on time- especially for the patients,” she says. “Once this is done, we immediately embark on preparing lunch then diner… both meals should be served before visiting hours. This is because we want to reduce interactions in the lifts with the public, while making food deliveries to the wards,” she reveals. The main kitchen prepares meals enough to feed at least 10,000 per day, arguably, making it one of the biggest production in the hospitality industry in the country and beyond. She says her work also entails training all the catering staff, ensure all their operations meet the set health and safety standards. “I also work closely with nutritionists in the hospital, to ensure that our meals are well balanced,” she adds. Even as she strives to continue providing excellent service to her clients, Mrs. Musyoki notes that her Unit has had their equal share of challenges.
Youtube: Kenyatta National Hospital Official Page