NAIROBI, Kenya-President William Ruto has announced a major partnership with the Italian government and healthcare investment company GKSD Group to construct 15 hospitals across Kenya.
The agreement, signed at State House in Nairobi, will deliver 13 Level Five county referral hospitals and two Level Six national teaching and referral hospitals in 15 counties.
President Ruto said the new facilities would increase the country’s bed capacity and expand access to specialised medical services currently concentrated in a small number of major hospitals.
“At State House Nairobi, [we] signed a major partnership with the Government of Italy and GKSD Group that will deliver 15 new hospitals,” Ruto said.
The President did not immediately disclose the 15 counties selected to host the facilities, the estimated cost of the programme or the construction timelines.
According to Ruto, Kenya currently has 12 hospital beds for every 10,000 people, against what he described as the World Health Organisation benchmark of 25 beds for the same population.
He said the planned hospitals would help close that gap and reduce the distance patients travel to obtain specialised treatment.
“These new facilities will significantly expand our hospital capacity, bring specialised medical services closer to communities, and accelerate our journey towards Universal Health Coverage,” the President said.
Level Five hospitals generally serve as county referral facilities, offering specialised treatment, diagnostic services, surgery and intensive care to patients referred from smaller health centres.
Level Six facilities sit at the highest level of Kenya’s public healthcare referral system. They offer advanced specialised care and also support the training of health professionals and medical research.
The two planned national teaching and referral hospitals are expected to expand the country’s capacity to treat complex medical conditions and train healthcare workers.
Ruto said the projects would be implemented under Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa, an initiative through which the Italian government supports development and investment partnerships with African countries.
The plan focuses on areas including healthcare, education, agriculture, energy and infrastructure.
“These projects, being implemented under Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa, will radically transform the lives of our people,” Ruto said.
The government is expected to release further information on the locations of the hospitals, project financing and implementation timetable.
