Kenya is set to get 15 new hospitals after the government signed a healthcare partnership with Italy and GKSD Group to expand access to specialised medical services across the country.
The agreement, signed at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, September 8, will see 13 Level 5 county referral hospitals and two Level 6 national teaching and referral hospitals developed in different parts of the country.
The projects are being implemented under Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa, with the government saying the investment will help address gaps in hospital capacity and bring specialised treatment closer to patients.
President William Ruto, who witnessed the signing, announced the counties that will benefit from the programme.
Mombasa and Uasin Gishu will host the two Level 6 national teaching and referral hospitals. In Mombasa, the facility will be built in Jomvu, while Uasin Gishu will get the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
“The hospitals in question are Mombasa National Teaching and Referral Hospital in Jomvu, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret,” Ruto said.
The two facilities are expected to strengthen Kenya’s capacity to handle complex cases that currently require patients to be referred to a small number of national hospitals.
13 counties to get Level 5 hospitals
The remaining 13 counties will receive Level 5 referral hospitals as part of the same partnership.
They are Kilifi, Mandera, Marsabit, Embu, Migori, Nyamira, Turkana, Kisii, Baringo, Bomet, Narok and Murang’a.
The new hospitals are expected to provide counties with better access to specialised services while reducing the number of patients travelling to Nairobi and other major towns for treatment.
For residents in counties such as Kisii and Nyamira, the investment could reduce the need to seek certain services outside the region.
The government says the programme is part of its wider Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda, which seeks to improve access to quality and affordable healthcare.
Kenya faces shortage of hospital beds
The hospital projects come against the backdrop of a shortage of beds in the country’s health facilities.
Ministry of Health data indicates that Kenya currently has about 12 hospital beds for every 10,000 people, which is below the World Health Organization benchmark of 25 beds per 10,000 people.
The additional facilities are therefore expected to increase the number of beds available to patients while also expanding the range of specialised services offered at county level.
The government also expects the hospitals to ease pressure on national referral facilities, which often receive patients transferred from counties for specialised care.
By having more Level 5 and Level 6 facilities across the country, patients will have more options for accessing treatment closer to home.
The partnership with Italy and GKSD Group is expected to support Kenya’s efforts to strengthen its healthcare infrastructure as the country continues implementing reforms under the Universal Health Coverage programme.
