The Office of the President will support construction of a modern one-stop Level 5 Hospital at Gilgil Sub County at a cost of Sh500 million, with an additional Sh200 million set aside for equipping the facility.
This comes even as the government pledged to ensure quality and accessible health services for all Kenyans, with a key priority being advancing universal health coverage (UHC) to guarantee equitable access, especially for vulnerable populations.
Health advisor in the Office of the President Dr Wilson Aruasa emphasised that health care was a central pillar of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) under the Kenya Kwanza administration.
He indicated that the Kenya Kwanza administration was committed to providing inclusive, effective and accessible health care to all, adding that the government was focusing on four pillars of UHC namely health financing, health commodities security, human resources for health and integrated health information technology.
Speaking at Gilgil Sub County Hospital as part of preparations for the construction of a modern Level 5 one-stop facility, the advisor indicated that the Government had made great strides in healthcare, with even greater resolve to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all Kenyans and address global health threats.
The official stressed that every effort by the government was for the dignity and health of every Kenyan, adding that similar sentiments have been echoed by the World Health Organization (WHO) with regard to global partnership, which lists Kenya as a leading African role model of health resilience.
He challenged the county team to design a future-proof facility built to serve beyond the next century, emphasising health as an economic investment.
“For every one dollar invested in health, there’s a return of investment of nine dollars in the larger economy,” added the official.
Dr Aruasa pointed out that it was impossible to achieve Vision 2030 or the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) without more effective investment in health care systems and services.
While noting that health and socio-economic development were two sides of the same coin, Dr. Aruasa argued that equity was both a determinant and a result in achieving success in these two areas.
He pledged that the government had committed to prioritize health in the economic recovery strategy and Vision 2030.
The official noted that recognition by the Kenya Kwanza government that quality healthcare should not be a privilege for the rich but a right for all marks a significant shift in the country’s policy direction.
Kenya has demonstrated leadership by reforming the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) into the Social Health Authority (SHA), signalling a commitment to universal health care, he added.
Dr Arusa noted that the government has stepped up efforts to improve the standard of care in public health facilities with the launch of the Kenya Quality Model for Health Plus (KQMH+) programme, a new framework aimed at embedding safety, dignity and consistency in primary health care services across the country.
He said the initiative signals a shift from merely expanding access to ensuring that the care patients receive is reliable and effective.
The advisor said KQMH+ brings together the national and county governments, development partners and frontline health workers to strengthen services at the primary care level, where most Kenyans first seek treatment.
“Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is not just about having a facility nearby or registering for health insurance. It is about what happens when a mother arrives in labour at night, when a child with pneumonia needs oxygen, or when an accident victim requires urgent care. Access without quality only creates uncertainty for patients and families,” he said.
The advisor said the programme was anchored on recent health sector reforms, including the Primary Health Care Act, the Digital Health Act, the Facility Improvement Financing Act and the Social Health Insurance Act, all enacted in 2023.
He noted that these laws have created a legal and financial framework to ring-fence resources for health and strengthen service delivery at the grassroots.
By Esther Mwangi
