Nursing and Clinical Administration Services

Nursing and Clinical Administration services at Kibong’oto Infectious Diseases Hospital date back to the colonial period. They were geared towards ensuring that nursing care promoted the healing of patients who had undergone chest surgery. The nursing interventions at that time focused on wound dressing, ensuring patients received good food, observing bed rest, maintaining fresh air circulation within the patient’s environment, and sunbathing.

In addition, nurses assumed the responsibility of caretakers, as many patients were deserted by their relatives and families due to the phobia of TB and the stigma in the community. This meant that the psychological and social aspects of patient care rested on the shoulders of nurses. Rehabilitation through exercise was also an integral part of the nursing care provided.

Following the discovery of the anti-TB drug streptomycin in 1946, nurses played an instrumental role in forming the backbone of treatment that involved injectable regimens. As treatment methodologies shifted over time with scientific discoveries, nursing care approaches in TB treatment and management also evolved. What began as basic care through ventilation, exercise, and good nutrition expanded into a comprehensive approach built on the Nursing Process—encompassing assessment, diagnosis, intervention planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Over the years, the Nursing Services and Clinical Administration Directorate has grown into an excellent hub for the care of patients with infectious diseases, including multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Nurses have also played a vital role in mentoring healthcare personnel across the country, particularly in managing patients during the continuation phase at decentralized centers. Their contribution has been pivotal, with the presence of nurses during the MDR-TB era leading to an 80% cure rate among admitted and discharged patients. This excellence began with the dedication of Kibong’oto as the Center of Excellence in the treatment and management of MDR-TB in 2009.

As the hospital transitions into an institute, the Nursing Services and Clinical Directorate now operates under four main arms: Clinical Nursing, Housekeeping and Laundry, Theatre and Sterilization, and Social Welfare and Nutrition. Moving forward, the Directorate is focusing on capacity building in implementation research in critical areas to ensure that scientific evidence is embedded into patient care frameworks.

At the same time, efforts are being made to strengthen social welfare approaches to reduce psychosocial constraints that hinder adherence to care prescriptions and to enable the smooth reintegration of patients into their communities. Nutritional support also remains paramount in determining patient prognosis during both admission and continuation phases. With this in mind, the Directorate has undertaken initiatives to build the capacity of Nutrition Officers, enabling them to prepare therapeutic foods for malnourished patients.