Government to consider funding mission and private hospitals, Uhuru Kenyatta says

President Uhuru Kenyatta has said the government will consider funding mission and private hospitals as their contribution to the health sector cannot be ignored.

The President said for healthcare provision to be effective, there must be collaboration between both the national and county governments with the private health institutions.

“We cannot say that the government can only support the government hospitals when we know without the good number of the mission hospitals in this country, we would not have achieved the successes which we have,” the President said.

The President spoke on Friday during Kijabe Mission Hospital 100 years anniversary celebrations in Lari, Kiambu County.

President Kenyatta said the national government will play its role in enhancing health care provision and challenged counties to do the same.

The Head of State said there is need to expand health training facilities in the country to increase the number of medics in Kenya.

“Its clear to all of us that we need more and better trained young people to take up the mission of caring for Kenyans,” he said.

The President commended Kijabe Mission Hospital, which he said has continued on improve its standards and quality of services.

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale said many Kenyans seek treatment in mission hospitals.

“We have patients traveling from all parts of the country and I think we should support our doctors in the public facilities by telling them to come and learn from here so that they can offer services just like those in Kijabe,” Mr Duale said.

He challenged governors to sign a deal with the national government to equip two mission hospitals in each county.

Kiambu Governor William Kabogo said his government will donate an ambulance to the hospital

The hospital CEO Dr Monica Muchendu asked the government to elevate the hospital from the current level 4 to level five.

This, she said, will enable them increase the hospital's bed capacity to 2, 000 from the current 350.

She said the hospital admits patient even when they do not have money saying individuals, corporates including National Health Insurance Fund owe the facility Sh144 million.

President Kenyatta said he will intervene on behalf of the hospital for the money to be paid