Mathare-Korogocho Level 5 Hospital will now be known as Mama Margaret Kenyatta Hospital as it opens its doors to patients this week.
Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) boss, Lieutenant General Mohamed Badi, said the Sh400 million hospital will finally start attending to patients after months of waiting, ahead of its official commissioning later this month.
The Sh400 million refurbished hospital located in Mathare North boasts a 350-bed capacity, making it the biggest hospital in terms of bed capacity under the management of Nairobi County government.
Other major hospitals under the city county government include Mbagathi, Mutuini, Pumwani Maternity and Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, which is currently a 188-bed capacity facility.
"This hospital had stalled for years but will in a week’s time open its doors to the public awaiting its commissioning," said Badi.
Construction of the facility started in the early 1990s but was grounded. However, NMS was last year charged with reviving its completion.
Once unveiled, the hospital will be the first county referral hospital under management of the county government.
The five-storey facility is expected to reduce the patient load at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, also a Level 5 facility, which serves more than 2.1 million people in the Eastlands area.
The hospital will dedicate an entire floor to attend to boda boda riders injured while going about their business. It will also have in-patient wards, a 24-hour pharmacy, kidney dialysis centre, an intensive care unit, burns unit and theatres.
NMS Director of Health Services Dr Ouma Oluga said the hospital is projected to significantly reduce the walk-in patients seeking medical attention at Kenyatta National Hospital.
"We call on the public to take advantage of the specialised health care services available for free or at subsidised rates in these facilities," said Dr Oluga.
