President William Ruto confirmed that Tanzanian conglomerate Amsons Group will provide a Sh4.5 billion ($35 million) grant to establish ten mother‑and‑baby hospitals across Kenya.

The announcement was made at the foundation‑stone laying ceremony for the Chebunyo Amsons Mother and Baby Hospital in Chepalungu, Bomet County, where the new Level 4 facility will house between 200 and 250 beds.

The hospital will deliver antenatal, maternity, obstetric intensive care, postnatal, newborn and neonatal intensive care services, plus dedicated theatres for maternity and neonatal procedures.

Construction is slated for completion within six months, with commissioning expected by March 2027.

Why the hospitals are needed

Ruto highlighted persistent gaps in maternal and newborn care, noting that roughly 16 women die daily from pregnancy‑related causes and that fewer than half of health facilities provide maternity services, with only about one‑third offering emergency obstetric care.

Kenya currently averages 12 hospital beds per 10,000 people, well below the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 25, and Level 4 hospitals collectively have 6,231 beds against an estimated need of 18,900.

The president also pointed out that 26 counties account for about 60 percent of maternal and neonatal deaths, underscoring regional disparities in access to quality care.

Commissioning timeline

The Chebunyo facility is expected to be completed within six months and ready for commissioning by March 2027, marking the first of the ten planned hospitals.