New 200-bed police referral hospital opens doors to officers and families

Acting KNH CEO Richard Lesiyampe (In grey suit) with other staff when he presided over the official opening of the facility on September 1, 2025/KNH

The National Police Service Referral Hospital (NPSRH) has officially opened its doors.

The 200-bed facility, inaugurated on Monday, September 1, marks a milestone in the government’s efforts to enhance specialised healthcare for police personnel.

Constructed for Sh1.2 billion, the facility is designed to offer dedicated medical care to officers and their families.

Kenyatta National Hospital acting CEO Richard Lesiyampe, who presided over the opening ceremony, made history as the first patient to be registered under the hospital’s fully paperless system.

This innovation places NPSRH among the first public hospitals in Kenya to adopt complete automation of patient records and service delivery, a milestone long sought in the health sector.

This system is projected to improve efficiency in patient management, cut waiting times, and strengthen accountability in service delivery. A total of 130 staff have now been deployed to drive the hospital’s operations at the hospital.

They are led by KNH Acting Director Raheli Mukhwana and Ronald Opili from the National Police Service.

Together, they form the management team tasked with transforming the vision of a modern, specialised health facility into a living reality.

In his address, Lesiyampe urged staff to maximise resources, nurture teamwork, and keep compassion at the heart of care.

“Let us embrace teamwork and keep compassion at the center of care,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the hospital would not only meet the needs of police officers and their families but also set a benchmark for innovation and efficiency in the wider public health system.

Though completed in 2022, the hospital remained unused for nearly three years due to delayed payments, administrative wrangles, and an outstanding contractor’s bill of about Sh833 million.

The situation drew public criticism, with auditors highlighting the irony of a fully equipped facility standing idle while police officers continued to seek care in already crowded hospitals.

On August 5, 2025, the government moved decisively to ensure its operationalisation.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, working with Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, accelerated efforts to operationalise the hospital.

The National Equipment Services Programme (NESP) was brought on board to streamline management and financing, paving the way for the September opening.

The idea of a dedicated police referral hospital was first floated in November 2021, when retired President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned its construction as part of broader reforms in the security sector.

The vision was clear- to create a Level IV facility that would not only handle routine medical cases but also provide trauma care, counselling, emergency response, and psychosocial support tailored to the unique pressures faced by law enforcement personnel.

In 2023, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officially handed over the newly constructed and fully equipped hospital to the police, symbolising inter-agency collaboration in strengthening national health systems.

With its doors finally open, NPSRH is expected to serve more than 100,000 officers and their dependents, significantly reducing the burden on KNH and other public facilities.