The government plans to construct a modern 2,000-bed Multi-Specialty Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in the Kiplombe area, Eldoret as part of ongoing reforms aimed at enhancing access to quality and affordable healthcare in the country.
The plans to construct the facility had in the past been embroiled in corruption claims and hence stalled.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha said the designs of the facility are ready with the government seeking a proper financing mechanism to kick off the project following the pronouncement made by president William Ruto.
She spoke in Eldoret during a tour of the hospital.
She lauded the hospital management for exemplary performance which has seen the facility named the best semi-autonomous government agency at the health ministry for the last six years in Performance Management System.
“We will address the budgetary needs raised by MTRH management to ensure MTRH meets all her staffing, training, equipment and other needs. This will place MTRH at a sound pedestal in her contribution to the achievement of Universal Health Coverage(UHC) for the Kenyan people,” she said.
She said the ministry will assist with equipping and staffing of two hospitals whose construction is expected to be completed in the next one and a half years.
“Two partners, namely Shoe4Africa Foundation, New York, USA and Sidekick Foundation, Indiana, USA have been granted VAT exemption status by the government to construct the multi-million 162-bed Shoe4Africa Julie Anne Perry Children’s Hospital and 64-bed Harry J. Dyer Children Burns Hospital in the new year.”
She said the two facilities will help decongest MTRH even as she urged Counties to prioritize quality healthcare delivery so that not every patient has to come all the way to MTRH.
And to address some of the concerns raised by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union, the health CS said the government will be posting 800 medical interns in the second week of this month.
She said the government through the ministry of health has initiated key governance reforms targeting among others NHIF and KEMSA as it seeks to bring down the cost of healthcare.
The government has also amalgamated some schemes including the Linda mama program as well as the planned scale-up of the health insurance subsidy program for the poor and most vulnerable to 5 million indigent households over the next three years.
MTRH CEO Dr. Wilson Aruasa said the hospital remains integral in ongoing health reforms serving as a nucleus for 22 counties as well as attending to patients from neighboring countries.
Citing the MTRH Nawiri recovery and skills project that provides mental health patients with opportunities of economic development skills, Aruasa said the facility has adopted innovative concepts to help deal with existing challenges.
