Construction of 350-Bed Block at Kakamega Teaching and Referral Hospital Reaches 75 Per Cent Completion

Principal Secretary for Defence Patrick Mariru and Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga visited Kakamega Teaching and Referral Level 6 Hospital on Monday evening. They inspected a four-storey block with 350-bed capacity under construction.

The project follows direction from President William Samoei Ruto. Current progress has reached 75 per cent. Officials expect the facility to be ready by December 2026.

The block forms part of efforts to expand capacity at the major referral hospital in Kakamega County. Once operational it will increase available beds and support broader healthcare needs in the region.

County officials joined the inspection. These included Arch. Patrick Kundu, County Executive Committee Member for Roads, Energy and Public Works, and Dr. Livingstone Imbayi, County Executive Committee Member for Health Services.

The inspection team /Handout

The visit allowed the national and county teams to review work on site. They assessed how the new structure integrates with existing hospital operations.

Kakamega Teaching and Referral Hospital serves as a Level 6 facility. Such hospitals handle complex cases referred from lower-level centres across Western Kenya.

The four-storey design adds vertical capacity on the site. It includes wards and support spaces suited to a 350-bed operation.

Inside the facility /Handout

Progress at 75 per cent indicates steady advancement on the structural and finishing works. Remaining tasks focus on internal fit-out and commissioning activities ahead of the December target.

Mariru and Oluga received updates from technical teams during the tour. Discussions covered coordination between national health programmes and county implementation.

The addition of this block will expand the hospital’s ability to admit patients. It will also improve access to specialised care for residents of Kakamega and neighbouring counties.

Construction of multi-storey hospital blocks requires careful sequencing of structural, mechanical and electrical works. The current pace suggests contractors are maintaining momentum on the critical path items.

County health leadership highlighted ongoing collaboration with national counterparts. This partnership supports delivery of the project within the stated timeline.

The facility once handed over will operate under the existing hospital management structure. It will form an integrated part of service delivery at the Level 6 institution.