KENYA – The President of Kenya has inaugurated the US$4.59 billion Billy Graham Memorial Cardiothoracic Centre at Tenwek Hospital in Bomet County.

The state-of-the-art facility, with support from American donors, represents a major milestone in the region’s medical capabilities. The comprehensive facility includes 176 beds and features sophisticated medical infrastructure, including six major operating theatres and 52 intensive care units.

A post-anaesthesia care centre complements these facilities, positioning the centre as a premier cardiac care institution. Named in honour of the prominent American evangelist Billy Graham, the centre aims to address the mounting challenges of cardiovascular diseases across East Africa.

It also has examination rooms, a pharmacy, a lab, a blood bank, CT and X-ray machines, six cardiothoracic theatres, a preoperative holding area, and a 32-bed post-anaesthesia care centre.

The facility is designed to conduct 2,000 major heart and chest surgeries in addition to performing thousands of endoscopies and cauterisations. It will be one of its kind in the region serving thousands of patients with heart-related problems.

Rheumatic heart disease is a major issue in the country with over 4,000 children born with the congenital condition annually.

The hospital has performed more than 2, 000 surgeries heart surgeries since 2008 but has been faced with more challenges hence the need to put up the facility.

The Ministry of Health reports that heart-related ailments affect approximately 150,000 Kenyans, contributing to the broader African burden of 35 million cases. Rheumatic heart disease poses a particular challenge, with numerous children being born with this condition annually.

In September, Tenwek Mission Hospital also unveiled a Sh130 million accident and emergency centre. The ultra-modern facility with state-of-the-art equipment will boost the hospital’s response to accidents along the busy road.

The unveiling of the facility follows a spate of road accidents. The new unit will help deal with congestion and other urgent medical needs that occasion immense pressure.  

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