Kenya Plans US$224m for 13 New County Referral Hospitals

Kenya · HEALTH

What the Level 5 hospitals plan involves

The Ministry of Health says KSh 29 billion will build 13 new Level 5 county referral hospitals of 300 beds each. That is about US$224 million at 129.28 shillings to the dollar on 17 August 2026.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale chaired a high-level consultative meeting on Thursday 13 August 2026 to review project plans.

Each facility will have at least 16 intensive care beds and 10 high dependency beds. Modern diagnostic and treatment equipment is also planned.

The hospitals will also feature imaging, theatres and dialysis units.

The government has named 12 counties as beneficiaries: Kilifi, Mandera, Marsabit, Embu, Migori, Nyamira, Turkana, Baringo, Nakuru, Bomet, Narok and Laikipia. The Ministry’s statement names 12 counties for 13 hospitals and does not identify the 13th location.

It has not explained the gap.

The Ministry has published no timeline, no procurement route and no groundbreaking date. It has not said whether the 29 billion shillings is the total project cost or a first tranche.

How the plan reshapes Kenya’s health system

Kenya’s health system runs from level 1 to level 6, with Level 5 as county referral hospitals for complex cases. The Auditor-General’s report for the year ended 30 June 2024, published 11 July 2025, records 376 Level 4 hospitals.

18 Level 5 hospitals and six Level 6 hospitals on the Kenya Master Health Facility List.

The new programme would raise the number of Level 5 hospitals from 18 to 31 once completed. It extends referral capacity to historically underserved counties such as Turkana, Mandera and Marsabit.

Kenya’s Facility Improvement Financing Act, 2023 governs how public health facilities collect and keep their own revenue. The Ministry has not said whether the new hospitals will operate under it.

The context behind the Level 5 hospitals push

The 13 hospitals will complement the first phase of the 2,000-bed Kiplombe multi-specialty hospital. A Level 6 facility is also planned in Mombasa.

Kenya’s health infrastructure currently comprises 14,883 health facilities.

The Ministry said the selection was informed by population size, disease burden. Existing health infrastructure and the availability of funding through Government, development partners and private-sector partnerships.

Governors Abdullswamad Nassir of Mombasa, who chairs the Council of Governors Health Committee. Simba Arati of Kisii attended the meeting – neither county is on the 12-name list.

Health is a devolved function under Kenya’s 2010 Constitution, but capital-intensive projects often depend on national funding. By requiring counties to provide land, approvals and staffing while national government deploys capital.

The programme creates a joint-ownership model that can either strengthen cooperation or become a source of blame-shifting if projects stall.

What to watch as the Level 5 hospitals take shape

Construction timelines and cost overruns are likely to be politically sensitive. Questions about operational sustainability, including staffing, recurrent budgets and maintenance, will matter as much as the initial capital expenditure.

The programme is a stress test for Kenya’s broader Universal Health Coverage reform trajectory. Whether adding 13 Level 5 hospitals advances UHC will depend on primary care.

Workforce shortages and health-insurance coverage being addressed alongside the new infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is Kenya spending on the new Level 5 hospitals?

Kenya has earmarked KSh 29 billion for 13 new Level 5 county referral hospitals, each with 300 beds. That is about US$224 million at the 17 August 2026 rate.

Which counties will receive the new Level 5 hospitals?

Named counties include Kilifi, Mandera, Marsabit, Embu, Migori, Nyamira, Turkana, Baringo, Nakuru, Bomet, Narok and Laikipia. The Ministry has not explained the gap between 12 named counties and 13 hospitals.

What capacity will each new Level 5 hospital have?

Each hospital will have 300 beds, including at least 16 intensive care and 10 high dependency beds. Modern diagnostic and treatment equipment is also planned.

Sources

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