In a major boost to Universal Health Coverage (UHC), President William Ruto has witnessed the signing of a strategic healthcare agreement between the Government of Kenya, the Government of Italy, and Italian healthcare firm GKSD Group.
The bilateral venture, executed under Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa framework, targets a critical expansion of Kenya’s medical infrastructure through the delivery of 15 modern medical facilities across 15 counties.
Construction of 13 Level 5 County Referral Hospitals and two Level 6 National Teaching and Referral Hospitals.
Directly tackles Kenya’s current ratio of 12 hospital beds per 10,000 residents, aiming closer toward the World Health Organization (WHO) benchmark of 25 beds per 10,000.
Designed to ease pressure on existing mega-facilities like Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) by decentralizing access to oncology, intensive care, and specialized diagnostics.
“Ultimately, the true value of these investments will not be in the agreements we sign or the infrastructure we build, but in the lives we improve… We must now move with purpose and urgency from agreement to financing, from financing to construction, and from construction to services that transform lives.”
