Nairobi’s ICU capacity climbs to 46 in three years as Sakaja reforms Level 5 Hospital management

Nairobi County has acquired 46 ICU units in three years, up from zero.

This has eased pressure on Kenyatta National Hospital, which is operated by the national government.

Speaking before the Senate Committee on Health, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja noted that the county’s public hospitals now boast 46 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, strengthening emergency response and improving service delivery across county hospitals.

“Before I became Governor, Nairobi had zero ICU capacity in public hospitals. Today, we have 18 ICU beds at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, 10 at Mama Margaret Uhuru Hospital, and 8 at Mbagathi Hospital, along with new neonatal ICU units. Ten more ICU beds are nearing completion at Mutuini Hospital, which is now 90 percent done,” Sakaja confirmed.

He reiterated that the expansion has significantly improved the county’s ability to handle emergencies, noting that previously Kenyatta National Hospital was the only public facility with ICU capacity.

He said the new county-level ICUs have eased pressure on national hospitals over the past three years.

Sakaja further attributed these improvements to a comprehensive health sector review led by Dr. Mercy Mwangangi, which recommended restructuring the administrative systems in Nairobi’s Level 5 hospitals.

“We changed the management structure of our major hospitals after implementing the committee’s recommendations. It’s a significant step forward, though with a population of seven million, much more still needs to be done,” he said.

He also announced the revival of stalled health projects, including the completion of a new wing at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, which will add 120 more beds by the end of the financial year, and the completion of the 400-bed Mutuini Hospital.

“The opening of Mama Margaret Uhuru Hospital near Mama Lucy, and the near-completion of the 400-bed Mutuini Hospital, will help ease congestion in the county’s main health facilities and further improve access to quality healthcare for Nairobi residents,” he added.

Sakaja further explained that the work of Community Health Promoters (CHPs) has greatly helped in serving residents across all 17 sub-counties.