Housekeeping mastery at the KNH amenity wing (KPCC)

By Alex Mutyambwii & Alphonce Odongo

While waiting for a matatu at the KNH city stage, we listened to a debate/conversation among three Kenyans about the health care services at KNH. They were haggling over whether to seek services from the general wing of the hospital or at the KNH Prime Care Centre (KPCC) private wing for the treatment of their patient.

The debate concluded after one of them convinced the rest that KPCC would be ideal for their relative. The reason she gave the other family members caught our attention. She confidently told her relatives that the mastery of bedmaking and housekeeping services at KPCC is premium.

The hospital Newsline team then decided to interview the housekeeping unit in charge, Ms. Catherine Nzioka at the “amenity wards” as it is popularly known by the Kenyan mwananchi. We first began with the Private Wing ward tour to understand how it operates.

Ms. Catherine Nzioka has worked at the KPCC housekeeping unit for the last 7 years. She defines housekeeping as the art of keeping a beautiful place more appealing, making it clean at all times, and provision of great customer service.

Ms. Catherine Nzioka - In charge Housekeeping Unit

PHOTO | STEVE ARWA

Housekeeping also entails providing comfortable mattresses, clean curtains, clean well-designed patient uniforms that ensure clients’ comfort when admitted, providing the admission pack which includes toiletries such as face/ hand towels, tissue paper, bath soap, vaseline jelly, toothbrush, toothpaste, a pair of slippers, basin and a pen which clients keep, among others.

We asked Ms. Catherine about the housekeeping services they offer to meet the customers’ expectations that make KPCC unique and differentiate the private wing from the general hospital.

She stated that KPCC offers an admission pack for both adults and infants which is not being offered in the general hospital, assorted wear for patients, pajamas for male patients, frequent housekeeping ward rounds (thrice a day) to talk to clients one on one, bath towels (cleaned weekly), mosquito nets among others.

“KPCC is successful because we work as a family. We value teamwork and we are all awake to our mission of providing quality and competitive healthcare services and engaging in mutually beneficial partnerships,” said Ms. Catherine.

The KPCC housekeeping unit however faces some challenges.

According to Ms. Catherine, they rely on the main hospital for linen cleaning. Due to the high volume of patients in the national referral hospital, laundry machines need frequent maintenance hence this slows down their service to clients. Staff shortage is also another challenge that slows down housekeeping services to patients at KPCC.

“My dream is to see the KPCC housekeeping unit offering hospitality services that are similar to those of hotels we benchmark with. In addition, I hope that KPCC will have its laundry unit soon to curb the challenges we face having linen cleaned at the main hospital’s laundry department,” remarked Ms. Catherine.

For patient comfort and to contribute towards great patient clinical outcomes, the unit has ensured that patients sleep in wellmade beds with clean beddings, in addition to issuing patients with toiletries to avoid inconveniencing the admitted clients and their relatives.

These, among other unique practices, have seen the KNH private wing of the hospital have an edge over other private healthcare competitors in the country including the entire East and Central Africa region. Consequently, KPCC has seen an influx of patients seeking

Ms. Catherine Nzioka attending to a patient at Ward 9D.

PHOTO | STEVE ARWA