Bungoma District Hospital has been elevated to a Level 6 Teaching and Referral Hospital, placing it among Kenya’s top medical facilities.
In a statement on Sunday, May 14, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula praised the elevation, noting that it will significantly boost healthcare services in the region.
"Bungoma District Hospital has now been elevated to a Level 6 Teaching and Referral Hospital, placing it at the same standard as Kenyatta National Hospital. With it now falling under the National Government, this move will ensure improved service delivery, modern facilities, and access to specialised care," he said.
Wetang'ula emphasized that the move would bring critical medical services closer to the people of Bungoma, reducing the need to travel long distances for treatment.
He also urged Kibabii University to come up with a medicine program to complement the new hospital.
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"Our people will no longer need to travel to Eldoret for treatment, quality healthcare is coming closer to home. In light of this milestone, I urge Kibabii University to develop a strong medicine program that complements the new hospital. Let us position our institutions to meet the needs of our growing population," he added.
This new development brings the total number of national referral hospitals in the country to seven.
Notable referral hospitals in the country include Kenyatta National Hospital which serves as a teaching hospital for the University of Nairobi’s Faculty of Health Sciences.
Considered the largest referral hospital in East Africa, the hospital provides comprehensive services, including surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, psychiatry, and oncology.
Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, situated in Eldoret, is the second-largest national referral hospital, with a bed capacity of 1,020.
Operational since 1917 and upgraded to a referral hospital in 1998, it is affiliated with Moi University College of Health Sciences and offers multispecialty services.
On the other hand, Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, also in Nairobi, is Kenya’s premier psychiatric hospital, with approximately 800 beds.
Established in 1904 as a smallpox isolation center, it became a mental hospital in 1924 and focuses on severe psychiatric disorders, serving patients who cannot afford private care or are too disturbed for other public facilities.
Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital, located along the Northern Bypass in Nairobi, is a newer facility opened in October 2019 with a 650-bed capacity.
It specialises in comprehensive cancer care, alongside renal, radiology, accident and emergency, maternity, mental health, critical care, pediatrics, orthopedics, and specialized clinics.
Lastly, the National Spinal Injury Referral Hospital, situated in Nairobi’s Kilimani area, specializes in spinal cord injuries and has a capacity of 33 beds.
