Ongoing construction of twenty-four health centres in informal areas are nearing completion. President Uhuru Kenyatta revealed the report during the 57th Jamhuri Day celebrations and commended the Nairobi Metropolitan Service city health facility expansion efforts.
“I noticed satisfaction that NMS is on course in delivering these facilities by the end of January 2021. The idea is to take health services as close to the people as possible and with the completion of the 24 new hospitals we will increase the bed capacity in Nairobi informal settlement,” said President Kenyatta.
NMS is a newly created department under the Office of the President, with enormous resources to modernize the city. In July, NMS Director General, Major General Mohammed Badi pledged to build 24 fully functional hospitals in Nairobi’s informal settlements in 100 days.
Increasing access to health services
The move is aimed at increasing access to health services for Kenyans living in slums. According to Kenyatta, the new health facilities will also see the government increase the bed capacity in Nairobi slums. Later in August, President Kenyatta commissioned the construction of three new Level III hospitals witnessing the groundbreaking of 16-bed capacity hospitals at Muthua in Uthiru and Kianda in Kibra as well as a 24-bed facility at Maendeleo Village in Mukuru kwa Reuben.
The three hospitals are part of twenty such facilities earmarked for various parts of the city and are being developed by the NMS at an average cost of Sh 70 million each. Other areas earmarked for the project include Viwandani, Majengo, Mathare, Kayole, Soweto, Korogocho, Kawangware, Gitare Marigu, Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Mukuru Kwa Reuben, Kibera and Githurai 44.
.
