Mathare-Korogocho facility renamed Mama Margaret Kenyatta hospital
The Mathare-Korogocho Level 5 Hospital has been renamed Mama Margaret Kenyatta Hospital as it opens its doors to patients this week.
Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director General Lieutenant General Mohamed Badi said the Sh400 million hospital will start attending to patients after months of waiting, ahead of its official commissioning before the end of 2021.
The Sh400 million refurbished hospital located in Mathare North boasts a 350-bed capacity making it the biggest hospital in terms of bed capacity under the management of the Nairobi County government.
The other major hospitals under the city-county government include Mbagathi, Mutuini, Pumwani Maternity, and Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital which currently is a 188-bed capacity hospital.
“The construction of this hospital had stalled for years but will in a week’s time open its doors to the public awaiting its commissioning,” said Lt Gen Badi.
Construction of the facility started in the early 1990s but was grounded. However, NMS was last year charged with reviving its completion.
Once unveiled, the hospital will be the first county referral hospital, level 5 hospital, under the management of the county government.
The five-storey building hospital is expected to reduce the patient load at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, a level 5 facility, which serves more than 2.1 million Eastlands area.
The hospital will dedicate an entire floor to attend to bodaboda riders injured while going about their business.
It will also have in-patient wards, a 24-hour pharmacy, kidney dialysis centre, an intensive care unit, burns unit, and theatres.
The hospital will also offer renal dialysis, radiology services, tuberculosis management, mortuary and autopsy services, pathology, chemotherapy, and forensic services.
NMS Director of Health Services Dr Ouma Oluga said the two hospitals will significantly reduce the 47 percent of walk-in patients seeking medical attention at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital is also being upgraded to a Level 5 facility complete with air evacuation services and the expansion is expected to be completed by May next year increasing its bed capacity to 254.
“We call on the public to take advantage of the specialized health care services available for free or at subsidized rates in these facilities,” said Dr Oluga.
Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital currently grapples with a bed occupancy of 135 percent as it attends to 25,000 patients every month in the outpatient department and another 2,000 patients every month in the inpatient department.
It will be the second hospital in Nairobi named after a First Lady, after the Mama Lucy Hospital which is based in Umoja.
The outgoing hospital has been vocal in advocating for and raising funds to cater for the health of expectant mothers