NAIROBI, Kenya, June 16 – Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital has opened a new medical centre in Utawala, extending its network to 18 branches as it seeks to bring healthcare services closer to children in Nairobi’s fast-growing residential areas.
The facility will serve families in Utawala, Ruai, Embakasi, Mihang’o, Joska, Malaa and surrounding areas, offering outpatient services, emergency care, laboratory services, pharmacy, well-baby clinics and specialist paediatric consultations.
The hospital says the expansion comes at a time when access to healthcare remains a challenge for many children.
According to Ministry of Health data, Kenya’s under-five mortality rate stands at 41 deaths per 1,000 live births.Speaking during the launch, Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital Chief Executive Officer Robert Nyarango said bringing health facilities closer to communities can help improve health outcomes by reducing the distance families travel to seek care.
He noted that while the hospital has built a reputation for handling complex paediatric cases over the past several decades, stronger access to primary and preventive healthcare remains critical in reducing pressure on referral facilities.
Utawala has emerged as one of Nairobi’s fastest-growing residential areas, driven by housing developments and an increasing number of young families, factors that informed the decision to establish the new branch there.
Education stakeholders attending the launch said improved access to healthcare can also boost school attendance and learning outcomes by ensuring children receive timely immunisation, treatment and routine medical care.
The opening adds to the hospital’s growing footprint as private healthcare providers increasingly expand into emerging urban centres to meet rising demand for medical services.
