NAIROBI — Kenya has begun one of its most ambitious public healthcare expansions in decades, installing nearly 98 CT scanners and hundreds of operating theatres and laboratories in hospitals across all 47 counties.
The rollout, led by Sunview Medipro International in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors, is part of Phase 1 of the National Equipment Service Programme (NESP). At its heart is a push to bring modern diagnostics and surgical capacity to county and sub-county hospitals, which have long been plagued by equipment shortages and patient backlogs.
Speaking at the launch event in Nairobi, Sunview Medipro’s CEO Sirat Amin said the aim is to close the gap between promise and delivery in Kenya’s public health system.
“This is not just about machines,” Mr Amin told reporters. “It’s about giving every Kenyan a real chance at early diagnosis and treatment without having to travel hundreds of kilometres or go into debt.”
The first phase includes the deployment of 98 CT scan machines two in each county as well as two mammogram units, 400 operating theatres and 400 laboratories. Installations are already underway in facilities such as Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kerugoya County Referral Hospital, and King Fahd Hospital in Lamu.
James Kamau, the Council of Governors’ lead on health procurement, said the programme will prioritise the country’s main referral hospitals.
“Counties will no longer need to invest heavily upfront,” he said. “This fee-for-service model allows facilities to access and maintain high-end equipment, while using the savings to hire more health workers and stock up on medicines.”
The project is tied closely to the government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda an ambitious plan to ensure that every Kenyan can access quality health services without financial hardship.
Health Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga said the rollout represents a crucial step forward. “No woman in labour, no patient in need of urgent care, should ever be turned away because there’s no equipment or they can’t afford it,” he said.
Under the model, the equipment is not only delivered, but installed, maintained, and supported with spare parts and training. Sunview has partnered with leading global manufacturers including GE, Fuji and United Imaging to supply the machines.
Healthcare experts say the initiative could help reverse the long-running trend of patient referrals to overwhelmed national hospitals in Nairobi or to costly private clinics. With county hospitals now better equipped, patients will be able to access the care they need closer to home.
“This has the potential to be a game-changer,” said Dr Mercy Mwangi, a health systems specialist based in Kisumu. “But the real test will be in the implementation the staffing, the maintenance, and how well the counties can integrate this into their existing services.”
To make the scheme work, officials are also urging counties to speed up registration with the Social Health Authority (SHA), a new body tasked with managing health benefits under UHC.
Though the rollout has drawn praise, some health advocates say stronger oversight is needed to ensure that the equipment is used effectively and that remote areas are not left behind.
“There’s always a risk that expensive machines end up gathering dust in a back room,” said Ruth Njoroge, who heads a medical access NGO. “We need clear tracking, reporting, and accountability from both county and national governments.”
Still, the mood at the flag-off was one of cautious optimism. For counties where medical equipment has often been in short supply or entirely absent the promise of high-quality, decentralised care marks a significant shift.
As Mr Amin put it: “This is how we bring dignity back to public healthcare not in speeches, but in scanners and scalpels that actually work.”
