Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale has announced that
the national government will release Sh100 million by the end of September to
revive the stalled construction of Ziwa Level 4 Hospital in Uasin Gishu County.
Speaking in Eldoret on Wednesday, September 10, Duale
directed the contractor to be on site by September 22 to resume work on the
multistorey facility, which has remained incomplete for over a decade.
“The national government has committed to releasing Sh100
million this month, on top of the Sh100 million already allocated by the Uasin
Gishu County Government. This will ensure that Ziwa Hospital is revived as part
of our efforts to guarantee access to affordable healthcare for all Kenyans,”
said Duale.
The CS assured residents of Ziwa and Uasin Gishu at large
that his visit would not be another unfulfilled promise, stressing that his
directive would ensure timely completion.
“I am aware that many Cabinet Secretaries have visited here before and made promises. But I am not cut from the same cloth. From now on, this facility must be completed. The contractor has instructions to report to the site by September 22 and begin work—there will be no excuses,” he declared.
Duale criticised the stalling of the project despite its
location in President William Ruto’s rural Eldoret North Constituency, terming
it a shame and an embarrassment that must not be entertained.
“It is unfortunate that such a critical project has stalled
for this long. The people of this region deserve better. My presence here today
marks a turning point in unlocking this project. I spoke with the President
this morning, and unlike my predecessor, I will stop at nothing until this
hospital is completed,” he said.
The hospital requires about Sh400 million to be completed.
The CS directed that the facility be completed and
operational by December this year, adding that the National Government
Equipment Service Project programme (NESP)would ensure it is fitted with
state-of-the-art equipment.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii welcomed the commitment,
noting that the four-storey hospital would be a game changer in boosting
healthcare delivery across the county.
“We are happy with your intervention, CS. Please help us ensure that the people of Ziwa and Uasin Gishu as a whole benefit from quality and affordable healthcare. This project is in the President’s home region, and expectations here are high,” said Governor Bii.
Duale is on a tour of Uasin Gishu County alongside senior
Ministry of Health officials to oversee the rollout of the government’s
TaifaCare programme, which seeks to digitise health facilities nationwide.
Under TaifaCare, the national government is working with
counties to deploy digital infrastructure in hospitals as part of ongoing
reforms aimed at delivering affordable, efficient, and accountable healthcare.
For 10 years, the Ziwa Level 4 Hospital project in Soy
Sub-County has remained incomplete, dashing the hopes of residents who once
viewed it as a beacon of improved healthcare access in the region.
