The government has maintained that plans to relocate Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital (MNTRH) from its current location in Nairobi County to Ngong in Kajiado County are still on course.
Principal Secretary for State Department of Livestock Harry Kimutai affirmed plans to relocate the hospital before the National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on Social Services Administration and Agriculture on Wednesday, August 9.
Moreover, the PS said they will relocate Mathari Hospital to its new location through the State Department for Medical Services, Ministry of Health.
PS Kimutai broke the news of relocation to apprise the audit committee with the existence, operationalization, and accountability of the Hospital.
According to the PS, the relocation is aimed at allowing the expansion of the facility which has been allocated a 200-acre piece of land in Ngong.
“Hon. Chairperson, following approval by the Cabinet, the Ministry has plans to move the hospital from its current location to Ngong, in Kajiado County.” Kimutai stated
“This is to enhance its operational space. In the meantime, the land in Nairobi will remain under the facility,” Kimutai told the committee.
Mathari Hospital Operates Under a Board of Directors
Furthermore, lawmakers asked PS Kimutai to explain why the facility continued to operate under the State Department of Health Services despite its establishment as a State Corporation.
“It appears like it was the Ministries intention not to allow the hospital grow. This is because they don’t have infrastructure to operate independently.”
“Is that not a plan to kill the hospital?”, Chairperson of the committee Emanuel Wangwe posed.
Likewise, the audit committee also asked to be furnished with the budget and budget absorption during the 2020/2021, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 Financial Years.
In a quick rejoinder, the PS stated that Mathari Hospital has a fully operational Board of Directors under the chairmanship of Dr. Lukoye Atwoli.
“MNTRH is a State Corporation established by legal Notice No. 165 of 21st August 2020 under the State Corporations Act as a Level Six tertiary hospital offering specialized Neuropsychiatric services as well as research and training in mental health, and governed by a Board of Directors”, he explained.
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Nevertheless, Dr. Kimutai assured the audit committee of plans to finalize a transition exercise of all operations of the hospital including its accounts. Hence, making it fully autonomous.
New Facility to Resemble San Raffaele Research Hospital in Italy
The new mental facility is expected to resemble San Raffaele Research hospital in Milan Italy.
In November 2022, the former Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe held investment discussions with officials from Group San Donato and San Raffaele Research Hospital in Milan, Italy.
During the meeting, the teams reviewed the building plan and design of the proposed Neuropsychiatric National Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Currently, Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, which was built in 1910, is the only national referral mental hospital in the country.
