In Kenya’s fast-evolving healthcare landscape, announcements about hospital construction have become a familiar political refrain. From pledges of 100 new hospitals to ambitious county-level expansion plans, the idea of physically building the future of healthcare continues to dominate national rhetoric. But on the ground, there is a growing divide between the paper plans and the poured foundations—between the press conferences and the patients.
As of mid-2025, Kenya’s Ministry of Health has reaffirmed its commitment to improving healthcare access by expanding hospital infrastructure across 47 counties. The flagship “100 hospitals” initiative is part of this strategy, aiming to bridge geographic disparities in care delivery. However, a closer look reveals that many of these projects are either delayed, underfunded, or progressing at a pace too slow to match rising healthcare demand.
Public health officials acknowledge implementation gaps—from procurement lags and land acquisition delays to under-budgeted staffing plans. The result: beautiful blueprints with little real-world impact.
Construction Lags: When Planning Outpaces Progress
Official data from recent oversight reviews show that less than 40% of announced hospital builds are operational or nearing completion. Several counties still have empty construction sites years after ground-breaking ceremonies. In some cases, buildings have been completed but remain non-functional due to lack of medical equipment, utilities, or staff allocations.
This gap between promised infrastructure and functional delivery points to a systemic flaw: the overemphasis on announcements rather than execution. As analysts point out, building healthcare infrastructure in Africa is not just a matter of civil works—it is a multi-layered process involving funding continuity, regulatory approvals, talent pipelines, and integration into existing systems.
Private Sector: From Groundbreaking to Patient Care
Amid these challenges, several private healthcare organizations have quietly filled the void, not only building hospitals but also making them operational within defined timelines and delivering actual patient outcomes.
One notable example is the Lifecare Hospitals network, founded under the leadership of Jayesh Saini. What began in Bungoma as a mid-sized regional hospital has now grown into a multi-county network with active, fully equipped hospitals in Meru, Kikuyu, Migori, Mlolongo, and Eldoret. Unlike many public projects, each Lifecare location was designed with patient flow, local disease burden, and clinical capacity in mind—and critically, each one was launched with core services already in place.
In Meru, for example, Lifecare’s hospital includes radiology suites, ICU beds, and dedicated surgical wings. In Bungoma, the facility integrates emergency care with maternity, pediatrics, and dialysis under one roof. These builds are not just structures—they are operational health ecosystems.
Bliss Healthcare and the Smart Clinic Model
While Lifecare builds full-service hospitals, Bliss Healthcare, another health initiative associated with Jayesh Saini, has adopted a complementary approach: expanding a network of digitally connected smart clinics across 37 counties.
Bliss focuses on modular, fast-deployable outpatient centers that connect patients to diagnostic services, teleconsultation, and chronic care programs. In cases where patients need surgical or inpatient services, they are referred to partner hospitals or larger facilities in the same region.
This model has allowed Bliss to scale faster and more strategically, ensuring access without the long gestation periods typical of full hospital builds. It’s a strategy that acknowledges the time constraints of traditional infrastructure models while delivering core services where they’re most needed.
Dinlas Pharma: Building Infrastructure for Access to Medicines
Another critical but often overlooked aspect of healthcare infrastructure in Africa is pharmaceutical availability. Without a consistent supply of high-quality medicines, even the best hospital is limited in its impact.
This is where Dinlas Pharma, also backed by Jayesh Saini, brings in another layer of infrastructure. Located in Syokimau, Nairobi, the facility is not just a manufacturing plant—it is a regional hub for pharmaceutical logistics and regulatory-standard drug formulation.
The company’s investment in a GMP-compliant production facility serves as a backbone for Kenya’s self-reliance in essential medicines. By manufacturing solid, liquid, and topical formulations locally, Dinlas is reducing delays, improving affordability, and ensuring that newly constructed hospitals and clinics are stocked and ready.
This integration—between hospital infrastructure and pharmaceutical logistics—is an essential but often missing element in national planning.
Fertility Point Kenya: Specialized Infrastructure, Swiftly Deployed
While many government builds focus on general hospitals, the need for specialized care units is growing. Fertility Point Kenya, operating across Nairobi, Kisumu, and Mombasa, is an example of private-sector agility in deploying highly specialized facilities.
Founded with a focus on IVF and reproductive medicine, the clinic incorporates advanced lab infrastructure, including time-lapse embryo incubators and minimally invasive surgical equipment. Each branch was built with international protocols and launched without years-long delays.
Once again, the driving force behind this rapid execution model has been Jayesh Saini’s hospital vision: one that aligns infrastructure with immediate care needs, rather than distant political cycles.
Bridging the Intent–Impact Divide
Kenya’s hospital construction narrative sits at a crossroads. On one path lies the traditional model—announcement-heavy, long-gestation, and often politically driven. On the other, a more agile, results-oriented approach led by mission-driven private actors like Jayesh Saini, Lifecare, Bliss, Dinlas, and Fertility Point.
The question is not whether Kenya needs more hospitals. It clearly does. The question is whether the next wave of builds will be designed for care—not just ribbon-cutting.
For public policy to truly deliver on the 100-hospital promise, it must integrate the operational discipline, system design, and patient-first philosophy that’s already being demonstrated in these private builds. That means streamlining approvals, co-investing in equipment and workforce, and learning from models that have actually delivered health—not just headlines.
