Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has held a consultative meeting with a delegation from the African Development Bank (AfDB), to advance two priority health initiatives being developed jointly to accelerate Kenya’s progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Where will new Level VI hospitals be built?
Discussions focused on proposals to establish Level VI Referral and Teaching Hospitals in Bungoma and Kericho counties.
The planned facilities aim to decentralise specialised healthcare services, reduce long-distance referrals, and decongest national referral hospitals.
The AfDB mission led by Dr. Alex Mubiru, highlighted the urgency of these investments in response to the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, trauma cases, and medical emergencies.
CS Duale commended the AfDB team for a well-designed, systems-based programme that integrates specialised service delivery, health workforce development, health systems strengthening, and robust programme management to ensure sustainability and long-term impact.
Following a review of the draft aide-mémoire, the Government and AfDB are addressing outstanding technical issues.
The Cabinet Secretary requested AfDB support for feasibility studies for the two hospitals, potentially through the East African Kidney Institute (EAKI) loan facility, and called for an expedited appraisal and approval process.
In line with Presidential priorities, the Government is targeting completion of the appraisal and approval process before March 2026.
Impact of proposed new Level VI hospitals in Kenya
The proposed projects align with the health agenda of President Dr. William Samoei Ruto and directly support UHC, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, and Kenya Vision 2030.
The initiatives place strong emphasis on strengthening primary healthcare, expanding access to specialised services, modernising health infrastructure, and promoting equity in healthcare delivery across regions.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health reaffirmed its role as the executing agency and its commitment to sound governance, accountability, climate-smart and gender-responsive planning, and sustainable financing. AfDB remains a key development partner as Kenya advances this programme to deliver quality, accessible healthcare for all.
The Cabinet Secretary was accompanied by the Director-General for Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth, and senior Ministry officials.
