Ruto Secures Major Italy Deal to Build 15 New Hospitals Across 15 Counties

President William Ruto has announced a major healthcare partnership between Kenya, Italy and GKSD Group that will see 15 new hospitals constructed across the country.

In a statement dated September 8, Ruto said the agreement was signed at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, September 8, as part of efforts to expand Kenya’s healthcare infrastructure and improve access to specialised medical services.

“At State House Nairobi, signed a major partnership with the Government of Italy and GKSD Group that will deliver 15 new hospitals,” Ruto said.

Ruto Witnesses Major Deal to Deliver 15 New Hospitals Across Kenya

Under the partnership, Kenya will construct 13 Level 5 county referral hospitals and two Level 6 national teaching and referral hospitals.

The facilities will be established across 15 counties, expanding the country’s referral network and bringing specialised healthcare services closer to communities.

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Ruto said the new hospitals would play a key role in addressing the shortage of hospital beds currently facing the country.

According to the President, Kenya currently has 12 hospital beds for every 10,000 people, against the World Health Organization’s benchmark of 25 beds per 10,000 people.

As a result, Ruto said the new facilities would significantly increase hospital capacity and improve access to 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,” Ruto said.

The projects are expected to support the government’s efforts to make healthcare services more accessible while strengthening the country’s referral system.

Duale Raises Alarm Over Hospital Bed-Sharing

The partnership will be implemented under Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa, which seeks to strengthen cooperation between Italy and African countries in areas including development and investment.

Ruto said the projects would mark a major milestone in Kenya-Italy relations and have a significant impact on healthcare delivery.

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The new healthcare partnership comes at a time when the government is facing concerns over inadequate hospital bed capacity and overcrowding in public health facilities.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale recently directed public hospitals to end the practice of bed-sharing, describing it as a longstanding issue that must be addressed urgently to restore patient dignity.

Duale issued the directive during a Universal Health Coverage session in Mombasa attended by the National Assembly Health Committee and key stakeholders in the health sector.

The Health CS expressed concern over reports of multiple patients sharing a single hospital bed, even as hospitals bill the Social Health Authority (SHA) as if each patient occupied a separate bed.

Duale called on hospitals to increase their bed capacity to accommodate growing demand for healthcare services.

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A photo showing Health CS Aden duale signing the partnership with the Chairman of the Italian firm GKSD Group on September 8. Photo /Aden Duale