By Robert Mutasi 
The Uasin Gishu County Government plans to invest Sh1.075 billion to expand and modernise Mama Rachel Ruto Maternity Hospital into a specialised centre for maternal and newborn healthcare.
Governor Jonathan Bii announced the investment while launching the hospital’s five-year strategic and investment plan covering the period from 2026 to 2031.
The plan sets out measures to improve clinical services, maternal and newborn outcomes and the county’s referral system. It also seeks to strengthen the hospital’s role as a Level 4 specialised maternity facility.
Bii said the hospital would play a central role in expanding access to specialised maternal and newborn services while supporting referrals from other health facilities across the county.
“As a Level 4 specialised maternity facility, it expands access to maternal and newborn services and strengthens our referral network,” Bii said.
The governor said the plan focuses on improving clinical care, emergency preparedness, referral systems and respectful maternity services. It also includes infrastructure upgrades and the expansion of critical care services.
Bii said the Sh1.075 billion investment would require careful financial management, strong partnerships and accountability to ensure the projects are completed successfully.
He added that resource mobilisation would be important in implementing the plan and improving access to quality and dignified healthcare for mothers and newborns.
The launch came as the hospital hosted Uasin Gishu’s World Contraception Day celebrations under the theme, “A Choice for All: Agency, Intention and Voluntary Choice.”
The event focused on informed reproductive health decisions and access to family planning services.
Bii said more than 53,000 women in Uasin Gishu had accessed family planning services between January and June 2026, reflecting the demand for reproductive healthcare.
He called for stronger postpartum family planning programmes and targeted services for adolescents, young people and communities with limited access to healthcare.
County Executive Committee Member for Health Services Janet Kurgat described the strategic plan as an important milestone for the county health sector.
Kurgat said it was the first five-year strategic plan launched for a health facility in Uasin Gishu County. She said the document would guide the hospital’s growth, service delivery and investment priorities.
She expressed confidence that the facility could achieve the targets outlined in the plan ahead of schedule.
County Assembly Deputy Speaker Sarah Malel pledged the assembly’s support for the investment, saying the legislature would consider the required resources through the county budgeting process.
Malel said the planned improvements would strengthen service delivery and give residents better access to maternal and newborn healthcare.