The Ministry of Health has launched a nationwide initiative to expedite the titling of public hospital land, a move aimed at protecting health facilities from encroachment and land grabbing while enhancing healthcare infrastructure across the country.
Speaking during an official visit to the Kericho County Referral Hospital on Friday, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that all health institutions under the ministry acquire legal ownership documents for their land.
“Securing title deeds is a critical step in safeguarding public assets and ensuring that no health facility is left vulnerable to illegal takeovers,” said Duale.
During the visit, the CS officially handed over a title deed to the Kericho County Referral Hospital and praised the facility’s progress, particularly in neonatal care. He called for increased investment in specialist medical training and capacity building to strengthen healthcare delivery nationwide.
Duale also applauded Kericho County for its strong uptake of the Social Health Authority (SHA) program, which has seen over 390,000 residents enrolled. The referral hospital serves a catchment population of about 1.5 million people, including patients from neighboring counties.
The Cabinet Secretary highlighted ongoing national reforms in the health sector, including the digitization of healthcare services and the rollout of disease surveillance vehicles to all 47 counties, as part of efforts to modernize and decentralize healthcare delivery.
Kericho Governor Dr. Erick Mutai and Senator Aaron Cheruiyot used the occasion to call on the national government for support in completing a 260-bed Non-Communicable Disease Centre (NCDC) at the hospital. Once operational, the NCDC is expected to become a key pillar of Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) strategy. It will include seven advanced operating theatres and intensive care units (ICUs) equipped with integrated dialysis machines.
Also present at the event were Kipkelion East MP Joseph Kirui and Ainamoi MP Benjamin Kipkirui, who echoed the call for continued national investment in regional health infrastructure to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare.
