The Uasin Gishu government will invest Sh1.075 billion to expand and modernise Mama Rachel Ruto Maternity Hospital into a specialised centre for maternal and newborn care.
Governor Jonathan Bii unveiled a five-year strategic and investment plan for the facility, aimed at improving clinical services, maternal and newborn outcomes and strengthening the county’s referral network.
The 2026–2031 plan provides a roadmap for transforming the Level 4 specialised maternity facility into a stronger pillar of maternal and reproductive healthcare in the county.
Bii said the hospital plays a critical role in expanding access to specialised maternal and newborn services and strengthening the county’s referral system.
“It is within this broader responsibility that Mama Rachel Ruto Maternity Hospital has an important role to play. As a Level 4 specialised maternity facility, it expands access to maternal and newborn services and strengthens our referral network,” he said.
The governor said the plan prioritises quality clinical care, emergency preparedness, stronger referral systems, respectful maternity care, infrastructure development and critical care services.
He said the estimated Sh1.075 billion investment would require prudent financial management, strong partnerships and accountability to ensure successful implementation.
Bii said the realisation of the plan would depend on effective resource mobilisation and a shared commitment to delivering quality, accessible and dignified healthcare to mothers and newborns.
The hospital last Friday hosted the county’s commemoration of World Contraception Day, held under the theme “A Choice for All: Agency, Intention and Voluntary Choice”.
The event highlighted the importance of informed decision-making and access to family planning services.
Bii said more than 53,000 women accessed family planning services across Uasin Gishu between January and June 2026, underscoring demand for reproductive health services.
He called for strengthened postpartum family planning programmes and targeted interventions for adolescents, young people and underserved communities.
Health Services executive Janet Kurgat described the strategic and investment plan as a significant milestone, saying it was the first five-year strategic plan launched for a health facility in the county.
Kurgat said the plan would provide direction for the hospital’s growth, service delivery and investment priorities, expressing confidence that its objectives could be achieved ahead of schedule.
She reaffirmed the county’s commitment to strengthening maternal and newborn healthcare through improved infrastructure, quality services and strategic investments.
County assembly deputy speaker Sarah Malel pledged the assembly’s support for implementation, saying resources would be considered through the budgeting process.
Malel said the investment would improve service delivery and ensure residents benefit from enhanced maternal and newborn healthcare.
