Construction of the first of 10 Mother and Child hospitals planned across Kenya has begun in Bomet County as the government and Amsons Group move to expand access to maternal and child healthcare.
President William Ruto presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the Chebunyo Mother and Child Hospital, a Level 4 facility in Bomet, over the weekend.
The hospitals are part of the Amsons Mama na Mtoto Kwanza initiative, a KSh4.5 billion project being implemented through the Amsons Group Foundation.
The initiative is expected to strengthen access to maternal, newborn and child healthcare, particularly in areas where residents have limited access to specialised services.
Amsons Group Managing Director Edha Nahdi said the company plans to complete all 10 hospitals within two years.
“This ceremony marks the beginning of a major commitment by Amsons Group to support the Government of Kenya in improving access to quality maternal, newborn and child healthcare,” Nahdi said.
The project, valued at US$35 million, is expected to benefit more than one million women in underserved communities across Nairobi, Kwale, Mombasa, Garissa, Kisumu, Embu, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu and West Pokot.
Each hospital to have 250 beds
The 10 facilities will each have a capacity of 250 beds and will be developed under a Build, Equip and Transfer (BoT) arrangement between Amsons Group and the Ministry of Health.
Once completed, the hospitals are expected to provide services including maternal and newborn care, inpatient treatment and other child health services.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the initiative would complement the government’s ongoing investments in the health sector.
President Ruto said the project fits into the government’s wider Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) programme, which is focused on expanding and equipping Level 4 and Level 5 hospitals.
He said the investment would help improve access to inpatient care, emergency and critical services, referrals, specialised treatment and advanced diagnostic services.
The national and county governments are expected to support the facilities with healthcare workers and medical supplies once construction is completed.
Project targets areas with high maternal deaths
The initiative comes as Kenya continues to deal with a high burden of maternal and child deaths.
Figures cited during the groundbreaking ceremony showed that 26 counties have been identified as having a high burden of maternal deaths.
Amsons Group said the new facilities would help women in rural and remote areas access antenatal and postnatal care without having to travel long distances to reach referral hospitals.
The construction of the hospitals is expected to add to Kenya’s health infrastructure as the government continues to pursue Universal Health Coverage and improve access to healthcare services across the country.
