Message from the Rev. Canon Peter Karanja; NCCK General Secretary
June 26, 2017
NCCK General Secretary Rev. Canon Peter Karanja Delivers his Remarks During the Service of Dedication and Official Opening of the Refurbished Jumuia Friends Hospital Kaimosi Presided Over by President Uhuru Kenyatta, Vihiga County.
The NCCK, by the grace of God, has established a premier hospital facility in Vihiga County in former Western Province, which is truly outstanding.
This facility-Jumuia Friends Hospital Kaimosi- is set out to create accessibility of superior healthcare delivery at an affordable cost, which is integral to the national healthcare transformation agenda. We have set it up as a facility that will operate as a referral hub for the entire Western region.
The catchment area envisaged includes areas such as Nandi, Vihiga, Kakamega, Kisumu, Busia, Bungoma and other neighbouring counties. The facility is just within an hour’s drive from Kisumu and therefore it is well able to serve neighbouring Nyanza counties.
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology which has the Commission for University Education nod to set up a School of Medicine, was limited by lack of a suitable and well equipped hospital to serve as its teaching hospital.
Following fruitful consultations, the two institutions have established a protocol for cooperation which makes JFHK, a teaching and referral hospital. This arrangement, completes the reference referral hospital loop as the other facilities that the university will partner with will operate under the same protocol’s referral service as an extension of the services of Jumuia Chain of Hospitals.
The sole mandate of Jumuia Hospitals Ltd. is to establish a chain of hospitals across the country, with a view of providing quality and affordable healthcare to all.
Having taken time to consider the model, the NCCK appreciates that India which is synonymous with Kenya’s medical tourism, is not more developed than Kenya yet their cost of healthcare is far less than the costs in Kenya.
The roll out of the Jumuia Hospitals Ltd chain will follow a phased implementation with the first components being as outlined below:-
i) Kakamega high end diagnostics clinic which is fully equipped and already operational at a cost of over Ksh 50 million.
ii) Jumuia Friends Hospital Kaimosi (100 beds) which has undergone major renovations and installed with state-of-the-art equipment.
iii) Jumuia Hospital Huruma (130 beds), off Juja Road near the Huruma Civil Servants flats whose construction has commenced and which will open its doors by end of 2016.
iv) Jumuia Bethsaida Hospital Embu a 150 bed facility.
v) Jumuia Hospital Limuru will be the super specialty 250 bed hospital in the chain which will be the apex of the chain and will open its doors hopefully by end of 2018.
Phase II and III will follow the same pattern establishing a secondary hospital unit in each of the different regions of the Country.
As we cover today’s grand opening milestone, NCCK pays tribute to the gallant Kenyans who have mostly lived under unfavourable health delivery alternatives. This hospital is our statement about the Council’s commitment to continue agonizing with Kenyans and responding to the call of Christ to be the salt and light of the world.
To deliver on the promise to Kenyans, we are aware of the need to engage with multiple other players in the health delivery value chain to which we make a total commitment.
NCCK will continue, through multiple interventions, to meet the needs of Kenyans and be relevant through diverse ways as a national player. The Jumuia chain of hospitals promises to be among the most impactful of the NCCK interventions because nothing touches people personally more than the provision of healthcare when needed, especially with respect to critical care.
I wish to thank the NCCK governance organs for their foresight and vision. I equally recognize Jumuia Hospitals Board for working tirelessly to actualize this vision as well as the East African Development Bank for being the first financial institution to believe in this vision.
I wish also to extend our sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Health, Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board, Vihiga County and all other stakeholders who worked with us.
And today we acknowledge and thank Your Excellency the President for gracing this occasion and by your presence affirming the essential partnership between the private sector and the Kenyan government in the service of our people.
Thank you all and a great welcome to Jumuia Friends Hospital Kaimosi!
