The Aga Khan Foundation has unveiled a new health facility in Kisumu built at a cost of Sh 5 billion (US$50billion).
Speaking during the opening of the facility, Regional Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sulaiman Shahabuddin said the move was made possible through French Government funding.
Shahabuddin, who heads the Aga Khan Foundation in East and Central Africa, said with that kind of support, the Aga Khan Kisumu Hospital’s bed capacity was expected to grow to 100 patients over the next five years.
The CEO cited the strong public/private partnership existing between the Foundation, Kisumu County government and other partners as the motivating factor which led to the faster growth and expansion of its facilities.
“Aga Khan Foundation has 300 such medical facilities across the world but we hope to work with other partners to grow this to cater for the ever growing population, more so in Africa among other developing countries still bedeviled by poverty and diseases,” he explained.
He said the Foundation has invested Ksh 20.6 billion (US$ 200 million) for the construction and expansion of 18 modern health facilities globally.
Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr Mathews Owili, who presided over the ceremony on behalf of the Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, said he was impressed with the ultra-modern medical facility located at Acacia Premier Hotel premises.
Dr Owili said the health facility will provide quality experience to those patients expected to seek treatment and even attract other new customers to patronize the facility only available in other top notch hospitals elsewhere.
He said the Aga Khan Foundation was highly commended for having chosen to locate such a huge investment in the Lakeside city, a sign that normalcy and peace was assured.
“A healthy population ensures we have less loss in manpower through sickness. At the same time; our employment bracket will expand through the job creation for Kisumu County residents most of whom turned up to celebrate the occasion,” he stated.
Kisumu County government now invites other investors to consider the lakeside city as a preferred investment destination since it is strategically and centrally located among 14 counties in Western Kenya, Rift Valley and East African Community (EAC) region.
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Aga Khan Kisumu Hospital, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jane Wanyama said the huge investment will greatly enhance public/private partnership pointing out that the new facility has 10 staff members but this was expected to grow to 30 in the near future.
The new County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Health & Sanitation docket Dr. Rosemary Obara said the high quality facility in Kisumu had set the standards with which public sector hospitals should be competing to attain.
Dr Obara said it had sophisticated diagnostic facilities and services meant to benefit the residents.
