President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday, August 31, 2021, launched the construction of the Kenya National Referral and Research Hospital (KNRRH).
The hospital is a top-tier military health facility that will provide specialized services to the security sector agencies and the general public.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony held at the Kabete Army Barracks in Nairobi County, the President said the construction of the 700-bed capacity level six hospital is part of sustained Government efforts to attain the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) pillar of the Big 4 development blueprint.
“This level 6 hospital will cater for the needs of all men and women working in our security agencies. It is indeed a proud day for our country, for our security agencies given that this is the first project of this magnitude that has been done since the Armed Forces Memorial Hospital was done in the early 1970s.
“This is yet another milestone in ensuring that those of you who put your lives on line and in danger to protect your fellow citizens are assured of the best possible medical care that can possibly be given,” the Head of State said.
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As part of efforts to achieve the Big 4 Agenda's UHC pillar, the President disclosed that the Government was rolling out new health facilities and expanding existing ones across the country.
“Very soon we will be opening some additional hospitals here in Nairobi to cater for our informal settlements. We are upgrading our various hospitals-KNH, MTRH, building new hospitals at KU as well as a number of other hospital facilities that we shall be opening across the country to ensure that our people have access to healthcare which I believe is a foundation of a sound health secure and prosperous nation,” he said.
President Kenyatta Commissions Constructions of New Military Hospital
The President announced Government plan to open several other health facilities for the Kenya Defence Forces developed to serve frontline security personnel across the country.
“Very soon I will be opening a level four facility in Kahawa, and another one in Isiolo. We will begin work very soon, once Kahawa is done, to upgrade the Forces Memorial Hospital to a level five. We are proceeding to develop facilities in Eldoret, Garissa, Manda, Lamu, and other areas so that we ensure that those of you who are out there on the frontline are able to access quality healthcare closer to where you serve," Kenyatta stated.
Defence Cabinet Secretary Dr Monica Juma said, “I express our gratitude for your strategic vision in conceiving this project. Within the security service, the most important asset are the people, it is the human capacity and this level six hospital will go a long way to ensure that our forces across the security sector are ready to deliver on the constitutional mandate to protect the territorial integrity of this nation and to provide security for our citizens."
Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces General Robert Kibochi said the completion of the hospital will contribute immensely to the wellbeing of the country's security personnel by providing specialised medical services.
