First four of 24 newly-built NMS hospitals to be opened

 

Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) will next week commission the first four of 24 new hospitals that have been under construction by the entity since last year.

In readiness for the opening of the new hospitals, NMS has recruited 600 nurses with the launch set to be presided over by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The health facilities – both Level 2 and 3 hospitals – that have been completed include hospitals in Uthiru, Kiamaiko, Ushirika and Soweto-Kayole.

NMS Director of Health Services Dr Josephine Kibaru-Mbae said the four health facilities are complete with only final touches being made.

“The facilities are ready and constructors are installing equipment among doing other final touches. They will be ready next week,” said Dr Mbae.

She said that all the 24 hospitals are at different levels of completion and NMS is also targeting to complete five more health facilities in early February.

President Kenyatta on August 10, 2020 commissioned the construction of the new facilities at the 16-bed capacity Muthua hospital in Uthiru.

Last year December, the Head of State said the Sh2 billion project aimed at increasing Nairobi’s bed capacity in the informal settlement by 280 beds will be ready by the start of February.

Rehabilitation of health facilities

The project include rehabilitation of five health facilities across the capital at a cost of Sh300 million as well as construction of 19 new hospitals at an average cost of Sh70 million each.

Dr Mbae said AMREF-Kenya had been contracted to build and equip all the 19 facilities while the other five are fully being done by NMS.

The other facilities are in Viwandani, Majengo, Mathare, Korogocho, Kawangware, Gitare, Mukuru kwa Njenga, Mukuru kwa Reuben, Kibera and Githurai 44.

“We have encountered challenges in the execution of the project including lack of land resulting in looking for an alternative parcels and structural re-designs which eventually slowed down the project,” she said.

The director said the recruited nurses will be deployed across the 24 hospitals as well as two other main hospitals; Korogocho and Mama Lucy Hospitals Level 5 Hospitals.

Last year October, NMS advertised for 600 nurses, 173 clinical officer 3, 116 medical laboratory technologists, 44 medical specialists and 130 medical officers.

“The newly recruited health professionals will be deployed to meet the demands of health care services in Nairobi,” stated Dr Mbae.

Already, NMS had on Monday commenced a four-day verification exercise and subsequent issuance of appointment letters to the nurses.

“This is a continuous exercise that will eventually see all the cadres advertised absorbed and deployed to various health facilities across the city, an exercise being conducted by the NMS Human Resource Management,” she said.