Kenya and China Deepen Cooperation to Build Five New Hospitals

Kenya and China have announced plans to build five new hospitals in key counties as part of an expanded healthcare partnership. 

The initiative, following talks between senior officials from both governments, is designed to improve healthcare infrastructure in Kenya. The discussions, held in Nairobi, included key figures such as Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei, Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga, and Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan. 

Representatives from Kenya’s National Treasury and Ministry of Health also took part in the talks. Plans for the hospitals in Baringo and Kericho are already advancing, with further discussions expected in the coming months.

The cooperation is part of a broader strategic partnership between Kenya and China, which was further solidified during President William Ruto’s state visit to Beijing. Sing’Oei stressed that the meeting aimed to assess the progress of agreements made during that visit while reaffirming Kenya’s commitment to international law and the One China Policy.

In addition to the hospital construction, the partnership will focus on medical technology transfer, healthcare capacity building, and strengthening Kenya’s health systems. This is in line with Kenya’s goal of achieving universal health coverage and improving service delivery, especially at the county level. For China, the project supports its broader strategy of investing in key sectors such as health, trade, and agriculture to support Kenya’s development.

The new hospitals, which will be located in Kericho, Bungoma, Murang’a, Baringo, and Kilifi, aim to improve access to specialised medical services in regions where healthcare resources are limited. This decentralisation effort is expected to ease pressure on national referral hospitals and improve service delivery across the country.

Beyond the health sector, the partnership carries broader economic and geopolitical significance.