An AAR hospital located along Kiambu Road was officially opened yesterday following a ceremony attended by government officials and AAR stakeholders.
The AAR hospital is a level 5 facility started in 2019 and was built at the cost of Sh3.5 billion that received its first patients in 2021.
The Permanent Secretary for the State Department for Medical Services Eng. Peter Tum congratulated the president on his dedication to achieving Universal Health Care (UHC) in the country and saying it was encouraging to see the private sector rise to the occasion and deliver the facilities needed.
“We are encouraged to see the government work together alongside the private sector and faith based organisations to be able to take the necessary steps to achieving UHC,” he said.
Tum expressed his delight with the steps being taken in healthcare as an essential part of the government’s strategy and approach to healthcare provision as part of their transformation agenda.
He specifically thanked the AAR hospital’s vital contribution to healthcare being essential and reiterated the value the government places on securing it for the people as a step in the right direction.
“We are encouraged to see this state-of-the-art hospital as well as its other facilities around the country and in accordance with the government’s objectives of primary health care, they have a referral mechanism that is shared between facilities ensuring ease of healthcare provision throughout the system,” he said.
Dr Ken Muma, CEO of AAR hospital said that the opening was a sign that great heights were being achieved in the health sector in the county by providing a hospital with all the major departments needed and architecture that complements the service.
“The unique aspect of this hospital is that as soon as the patient walks in, they get the sense that they are not a patient. The hospital has been set up in such a way where wellness is a priority to administering proper care,” he said.
He added that the amenities found within the hospital are state of the art and the latest technologies that are required are in the facility.
“From the theatre, Intensive Care Unit, High Dependency Unit and ward units, we made the deliberate move to include the best technology for identifying and treating our patients along with a technical team of competent staff ready to take on the task,” he said.
A report on the Kenya Health Sector by the Ministry of Health notes that Kiambu county has 27 level 4-6 hospitals, with Kiambu level 5 hospital being the only Level 5 in Kiambu sub-county and has a coverage of up to 1.6 hospitals per 100,000 people.
By Cedric Karungaru
