The Moi Referral Multi-Speciality
Hospital, under construction in Eldoret, is set to become the region’s largest critical-care
facility once complete, with 60 Intensive Care Unit beds and 120 High Dependency Unit beds.
Engineers have moved to the site following President William Ruto’s directive that the first phase of the Sh50 billion project be delivered within 18 months.
Health CS Aden Duale
on Monday launched construction work in Eldoret, marking the
start of what is expected to be one of the President’s most transformative
healthcare projects.
President Ruto’s health adviser, Dr Wilson Aruasa—one of the key minds behind the hospital’s concept—, said the new facility will be a game changer, boosting specialised treatment, medical training and even medical tourism.
Aruasa, the former CEO
of the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), helped develop the initial
blueprint for the hospital being built on 200 acres in
Kiplombe near the Eldoret airstrip.
“The new facility, a key Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) project, will facilitate Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by increasing comprehensive and specialised hospital beds and services,” he said.
Aruasa said the new hospital will dramatically expand Kenya’s current capacity of 13 hospital beds per 10,000 people, bringing the country closer to the World Health Organization’s recommended minimum of 25 per 10,000.
He also cited UN data showing that every dollar invested in health yields a nine-fold return to the wider economy—a factor he said firmly supports Ruto’s vision for a stronger, more affordable healthcare system.
Aruasa said the President
has placed priority on fully streamlining the Social Health Authority (SHA) to
ensure quality healthcare becomes accessible to Kenyans across all income
groups.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii said the impact of the new hospital will extend far beyond Eldoret, stimulating economic growth across the North Rift region and the country.
About
six new roads are set to be tarmacked to connect Eldoret City and neighbouring
areas to the hospital, which is expected to directly employ more than 6,000
medical professionals.
“We thank the President, who has
championed this vision since his time as Deputy President. As leaders from this
region, we know this project will transform the lives of our people and serve
Kenyans in a unique way,” Bii said.
Soy MP David Kiplagat said the mega
project is already reshaping the economic landscape, with land prices in the
area surging from about Sh1.8 million per acre to nearly Sh5 million as
investors scramble for plots to build support infrastructure such as hotels.
More than 15,000 workers will take part in constructing the hospital.
Kimumu MCA Rebecca Magut urged that residents be given priority in employment during the project’s
implementation.
President Ruto has directed the
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to supervise the project to ensure it meets timelines and the highest construction standards.
