On
September 8, Ruto finalized an agreement with Italy's government and GKSD Group
to build 13 Level 5 county referral hospitals and two Level 6 national teaching
hospitals in 15 counties, including sites in Mombasa, Eldoret, Kilifi, and
Mandera.
The project addresses Kenya's shortfall of 12 hospital beds per 10,000 people compared to the WHO's 25 benchmark, aiming to expand specialized services and advance universal health coverage.
While supporters praise the job creation and decongested referrals, some question prioritizing new builds over upgrading existing facilities and seek more details on costs.