Remarks · 24 October 2024
The Chief Operations Officer, Samaritan Purse, Mr. Edward Graham, The Bishop of AGC Kenya and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of AGC Tenwek Hospital, Rev Dr Robert Lang’at, President of the World Gospel Mission, Dr Dan Schafer, The Clergy, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Universal Health Coverage is central to our vision of enhancing the health of Kenyans, increasing efficiency in the provision of essential public services, mobilising local and foreign investment to develop industrial capacity competitively, and complementing national development efforts. One of our most fundamental commitments in the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda is ensuring that every Kenyan, everywhere, has access to quality and affordable healthcare at all times. All efforts and investments that complement this commitment are therefore highly valued.
Without a doubt, the official opening of the AGC Tenwek Hospital Cardio-Thoracic Centre is a welcome and significant milestone in Kenya's ambitious journey to provide sufficiently efficient, highquality and accessible healthcare. This investment is not merely a state-of-the-art facility; it signifies radical progress in the region by establishing an unprecedented standard in the provision of specialised care.
Faith-based organisations such as Tenwek have been consistent trailblazers and pioneers who have set new standards in serving communities through inclusive and transformative strategies. For more than a century, they have played a vital role in our healthcare system. Since its founding in 1937 by the World Gospel Mission, Tenwek has steadily transformed itself from a small mission hospital to a modern 400-bed facility, which provides a high standard of service and care to millions of Kenyans regardless of their financial situation. The opening of this new cardio-thoracic centre builds on that legacy and strengthens our healthcare infrastructure. We not only see faithbased organisations as the government's trusted partner in delivering for the people and transforming Kenya, but we also consider this partnership essential to the achievement of Universal Health Coverage.
To complement these developments, the government is implementing bold healthcare sector reforms to enhance financing, regulation, investment, digitisation and the provision of adequate, skilled and motivated professional personnel to deliver UHC. Towards this end, I signed four key laws last year: The Social Health Insurance Act, the Primary Healthcare Act, the Digital Health Act and the Facility Improvement Financing Act.
Through the Social Health Insurance Act, the Social Health Authority (SHA) has been established to replace the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and administer primary healthcare funds in a way that ensures every Kenyan, especially those who are needy, vulnerable, or living with chronic conditions, receives high-quality care. Primary healthcare is now free at all dispensaries and health centres, as well as selected hospitals, while ambulance and emergency services are available nationwide free of charge.
Under the Social Health Authority, the package of eligible benefits includes cover for specialised services like cardiothoracic surgeries, which will be offered at this new centre to the best global standards. The authority will enable millions of Kenyans to access advanced care at facilities like this without worrying about exorbitant costs.
Similarly, the Digital Health Act has been enacted to provide a robust framework for streamlining healthcare processes through digitisation, covering everything from patient registration to the verification and payment of claims. This framework significantly enhances transparency in healthcare service provision and helps eliminate corruption. Since July 2024, 13 million Kenyans have registered with the SHA, and all public facilities are now fully integrated with the system, while half of the private facilities across the country have registered. We invite the people of Kenya to experience dignity, efficiency, transparency, and professionalism under our UHC model.
The centre we are opening today represents this new era for healthcare in Kenya in which world-class care is accessible to all. It is also an institution of specialised learning, which will contribute to the training of future healthcare professionals. Through collaboration with institutions such as the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa, the centre will foster research, innovation and medical tourism, further positioning Kenya as a leader in specialised healthcare.
Universal Health Coverage and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda have strengthened local and international investor confidence in Kenya’s prospects for sustained growth and the sustainability of investments across sectors. As a KSh4.5 billion investment in the healthcare sector, this facility tangibly reflects investor confidence.
We invite more public-private partnerships to boost investments in the development of healthcare infrastructure and the expansion of services.
Cardiovascular diseases account for 25% of hospital admissions in Kenya and exert immense pressure on the healthcare system. Facilities like this go a long way to mitigate this strain and to turn around the demand for healthcare from costly overseas options to local healthcare.
I support Tenwek Hospital’s vision to invest in education and training, research and development, as well as innovation and transformation, in order to continue blessing the people of Kenya through the miracle of healing.
As we celebrate the opening of the Tenwek Mission Hospital Cardiothoracic Centre, I must emphasise the essential value of prevention and the vital importance of promoting early diagnosis, public awareness, and healthy habits in reducing the disease burden and keeping our people healthy and happy.
Finally, I thank the World Gospel Mission, the Africa Gospel Church and the Tenwek community for their exemplary and transformative service to this region and our nation since 1937. I also express my gratitude to the Samaritan’s Purse for their critical support for this project. Colonel Graham, please convey our appreciation to your entire team for their excellent work, selfless dedication and invaluable contribution.
The Tenwek Mission Hospital's Cardiothoracic Centre is now officially opened. Thank You, God bless you, God bless Kenya.