President William Ruto speaking at State House on September 8, 2026 / PCS
President William Ruto has announced a partnership between
Kenya and Italy to facilitate the development of 15 new hospitals across 15
counties as part of efforts to expand access to quality healthcare and advance
universal health coverage.
The partnership, being implemented under the Mattei Plan for
Africa, will provide for the construction of 13 Level 5 county referral
hospitals and two Level 6 national teaching and referral hospitals.
Ruto said the partnership marks a major step towards
providing Kenyans with modern health facilities while expanding hospital
capacity and strengthening the country’s referral system.
“Today I am very proud that we are inching close to not just
actualising universal health coverage in Kenya but also providing the most
modern available health facilities anywhere in the globe,” Ruto said.
The hospitals will include the Mombasa National Teaching and
Referral Hospital, which the President said would be developed in Jomvu.
Ruto recalled discussions with Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad
Nassir on the project.
The list also includes Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital,
which he said has already begun in Eldoret, as well as Kilifi County Referral Hospital,
Mandera County Referral Hospital and Marsabit County Referral Hospital.
Other facilities identified by the President include Embu
Referral Hospital, Kisii County Referral Hospital, Turkana County Referral
Hospital, Marigat County Referral Hospital and Transmara West.
Ruto said the selection of the facilities was informed by
discussions with governors and the healthcare needs of different regions.
In Embu, the President said he had visited the existing
facilities and discussed the need for improved infrastructure with the county
leadership.
He also cited Kisii, where he said Governor Simba Arati had
repeatedly pushed for the development of a new facility after an earlier
facility was condemned and now needs to be brought down.
“That facility was not done well, and it was condemned when
it was finished, and now the facility has to be brought down,” Ruto said.
The President also singled out Turkana County, saying he had
personally visited its healthcare facilities and witnessed the need for
additional support.
“Of course, in the great county of Turkana, again, I have
gone personally to the facility in Turkana County, and if there is one place
where health outcomes require support, it is in Turkana County,” he said.
He said Marigat County Referral Hospital was included
because of the area’s population dynamics, the challenges associated with
cattle rustling and the need for healthcare services.
Ruto also said he had discussed the Transmara West facility
with Governor Patrick Ntutu.
The 15-hospital investment comes against a backdrop of what
the President described as a significant shortage of hospital beds in Kenya.
Kenya currently has approximately 12 hospital beds for every
10,000 people, compared with the World Health Organisation recommendation of at
least 25 beds for every 10,000 people.
The new facilities are expected to increase hospital
capacity and strengthen the referral system while bringing specialised
healthcare services closer to communities.
Ruto said the investment would help accelerate the country’s
progress towards universal health coverage and ensure more Kenyans can access
healthcare services when and where they need them.
“Today, we take another decisive and most important step in
our commitment to expand access to quality health care and secure the good
health of the people of Kenya,” he said.
