The Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital officially commenced construction of a multi‑storey Surgical Block, with the site handover marking the start of the build.

The development is a joint effort of the Homa Bay County Government, the national government, the Ministry of Defence and the Kenya Defence Forces.

Cabinet Secretary for Defence Roselinda Soipan Tuya presided over the ceremony, calling the block a transformative health‑infrastructure project.

Governor Gladys Wanga described the investment as a deliberate step toward upgrading the hospital to Level 6 status and improving patient dignity.

Scope, facilities and expected benefits

The new block will add 140 beds to the hospital’s existing 311‑bed capacity, expanding space for surgical, critical‑care, maternal, newborn and inpatient services.

Key components include two general operating theatres, a dedicated maternity theatre, an ICU, a high‑dependency unit, a NICU, specialist outpatient clinics and separate paediatric, male and female wards.

The design incorporates patient lifts, ramps, staircases and emergency exits to improve accessibility and operational efficiency.

Governor Wanga said the block will give residents of Homa Bay and the wider Lake Region better access to specialised surgical care, reducing the need to travel long distances for treatment.

She also noted that the expanded facilities will provide a more enabling environment for healthcare workers, improving efficiency and professionalism.

Economic and broader health objectives

Construction of the Surgical Block will directly employ about 300 workers, with an estimated 1,000 people benefiting indirectly through related economic activities.

The project aligns with the county’s ambition to raise life expectancy above 70 years and to expand health‑insurance coverage, which now reaches 680,000 residents (56% of the population).