National Police Service Level Four Hospital offers relief to Nairobi residents

Nairobi residents around Mbagathi and its environs will now have a new facility to seek health services following the handover of the National Police Service Level Four Hospital to the Ministry of Interior.

The Sh1.2 billion facility has been under construction since 2021 under the Ministry of Defence.

The hospital has a bed capacity of 150, a parking facility for four ambulances, 20 staff vehicles and 50 vehicles belonging to the public.

"Mbagathi Hospital is a Level Five hospital which also acts as a referral hospital. With NPS Hospital across the road from Mbagathi, at least patients will have another referral facility to seek health services from," said Geoffrey Mosiria, Nairobi's Chief Officer for Health Facilities on Sunday.

Also with NPS Level Four Hospital operating as a referral, this also means that referral cases to Kenyatta National Hospital will decrease.

Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) is Kenya's largest referral and teaching hospital.

With a population of close to five million people, 47 per cent of Nairobi residents have always depended on KNH as their first point of access to healthcare services.

Over the years, it has faced congestion due to its role in handling complex cases from across the country.

High patient load, limited healthcare infrastructure in other regions, rapid population growth in Nairobi and the affordability of KNH's services are among the factors that have contributed to the congestion.

Cabinet Secretaries Kithure Kindiki (Interior) and Aden Duale (Defence) during the hand over of the National Police Service Hospital Level Four Hospital in Mbagathi, Nairobi on May 17, 2024. (Photo: MINA)

Efforts to address congestion at KNH involve decentralising services to enhance the capacity of county regional hospitals.

Decentralise services 

In a bid to address congestion and decentralise services, Former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2020 directed The defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services to construct 28 hospitals in Nairobi's informal settlements.

"Instead of someone using money to go and seek medical services at Kenyatta National Hospital, they need to access these services at the facilities which are near them," he said.

The National Police Service Level Four Hospital will now mark a significant stride towards enhancing healthcare accessibility not only for our dedicated men and women in uniform but also for the wider local community.

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki now says that frontline officers protecting the country from harm by organised criminal gangs now have a place where they can be treated in case they get hurt on duty.

Speaking when the National Police Service Hospital Level Four Hospital in Mbagathi was handed over to his ministry from Defence last Friday, Kindiki said the hospital will reduce dependence on private hospitals.

He went on to say that the hospital will also help in the treatment of families of Kenyan police officers.

"The government continues to invest in facilitating our security personnel. Our personnel who are serving in very difficult and dangerous situations, those on the frontline in the fight against terror and other organised crimes including banditry we are sure going forward they have a facility in case they get hurt by the enemy.

"They have a place where they can be evacuated for treatment instead of going to private facilities," Kindiki said.

The CS also emphasised that by maintaining high standards of service and facilitating a referral system, the ministry will aim to make quality healthcare accessible to all members of the community.

"As these hospitals open their doors, they symbolise a shared vision of health and healing, uniting security personnel and local communities in a journey towards a brighter and healthier future," Kindiki noted.

Defence CS Aden Duale said the hospital is poised to provide comprehensive health care to the police, their families and the community.

"The journey to this momentous occasion has been marked by dedication perseverance and collaboration between Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), NPS, Interior Ministry and the government of Kenya," Duale said.