Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha has reaffirmed support for the completion of the Kakamega Teaching and Referral Hospital whose construction stalled years ago.
Speaking at the Butere Sub County Hospital on Friday, April 5, 2024, the Health CS emphasized the importance of unity among Western leaders for the hospital's completion.
She said the government plans to assess the facility for the upgrade as well as securing funding from investors.
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"Plans include assessing the facility's readiness for upgrading and securing financial support from Indian investors," Nakhumicha said in a statement released by the Health Ministry.
Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula acknowledged President William Ruto's commitment of Ksh200 million to expedite civil works at the facility.
The construction of Kakamega Referral Hospital is aimed at easing congestion at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
The facility is also tapped to promote medical tourism and enhance healthcare access in Western Kenya and Rift Valley.
Construction
The construction of the multi-billion shillings Kakamega Referral Hospital was conceived by former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya.
Operanya's administration started the construction of the 750-bed capacity facility but soon ran out of money to complete the project.
The project stalled after the contractor China Railway Jiangsu Engineering East Africa abandoned the site in February 2020 over unpaid dues.
Oparanya ultimately surrendered the stalled hospital to the National Government.
Speaking at the Senate in November 2023 when she responded to questions raised by members, Nakhumicha said she preferred Kakamega referral hospital to be run by the National Government once completed.
The Health CS faulted Oparanya's successor Fernandes Barasa over what she said was a decision by the Kakamega County Government to reverse its earlier decision to have the facility upgraded to a Level Six Hospital.
"I have been to Kakamega on two occasions and the current governor Barasa did indicate to me that they were not going to hand over the facility to the National Government for it to be a Level Six Facility," the CS said.
"However, they were going to operate it as a Level Five Facility. Based on that, the role of the national government is to assist the county government to ensure that they complete the facility and run it as a Level Five facility," she added.
The National Government runs all Level Six hospitals while counties handle all facilities at level five and below.
"Having visited the hospital myself on two occasions, the hospital is huge, and I will put together a multidisciplinary team from my ministry that will visit the governor and paint the bigger picture of not only completing the facility but also running the facility," she said.
