Kiambu expands healthcare access under Wamatangi

Kiambu County Governor Kimani Wamatangi said on May 18 that his administration is widening access to treatment, referrals and diagnostics across the county’s public health system, tying the push to a broader county program branded as “Kiambu Afya.” County statements and procurement notices show the effort is not a single announcement but part of a longer rollout that includes insurance enrollment, facility upgrades, equipment purchases and digital record systems. Residents also circulated videos on X on May 18 praising faster service at local facilities, adding a public-facing sign of how the county wants the rollout to be seen. ### What exactly is Kiambu saying it is expanding? Kiambu County says the current push combines modern equipment, faster referrals, wider outpatient and inpatient access, and more standardized operations across county-run facilities. In a county statement on the “Kiambu Afya” plan, the government said 300,000 residents had benefited from the program and described expanded outpatient care at county facilities, chronic-disease treatment and ambulance upgrades as part of the package. (kiambu.go.ke) Wamatangi has also linked the health drive to digitization. The county said it is implementing a Health Management System to streamline workflow, reduce drug shortages and support accountability, and that the digitization plan includes 1,000 computers for 123 health facilities. ### How big is Kiambu’s public health network? (kiambu.go.ke) Kiambu County’s health department says the county serves residents through one Tier 5 inter-county facility, 13 Tier 4 hospitals, 24 Tier 3 health centres and 70 dispensaries. That provides the basic footprint for the county’s promise to move patients more quickly through appointments, diagnostics and referrals. The county has also described a larger construction and expansion program over the past several years. (kiambu.go.ke) County materials say stalled projects were revived and additional bed capacity was planned, while other reports tied to the county’s health agenda have cited six new Level 4 hospitals and more lower-tier facilities under construction or upgrade. Some of those figures vary across county-linked publications, but the pattern is consistent: the administration is presenting healthcare expansion as a countywide infrastructure program rather than a single-facility intervention. (kiambu.go.ke) ### Where does insurance fit into the plan? The county’s insurance arm is a central part of the story. Kiambu said the “Kiambu Afya” program had registered 70,600 households covering more than 300,000 beneficiaries, with the county paying premiums for registered households under the NHIF-based arrangement described in county materials. (kiambu.go.ke) An earlier county statement on its universal healthcare program said the administration wanted to place at least one million people under a health insurance scheme and was paying monthly subscriptions for vulnerable families. That same statement said the county was rehabilitating broken equipment, acquiring new equipment and trying to ensure all 128 facilities could provide needed services. (kiambu.go.ke) ### What evidence is there beyond speeches? Kiambu’s own procurement trail shows active spending on health projects in 2026. County tender listings include May notices for construction of a Level III hospital in Mwiki Ward and renovations of the mortuary, RHU block, paediatric wards, renal unit and mortuary at Thika Level 5 Hospital. Separate tender documents published in February covered renovations and upgrades at Kiambu Level 5 Hospital, and May tender notices also referenced supply and commissioning of digital X-ray and radiology ultrasound units for Level V and IV hospitals. (kiambu.go.ke) The county has also said ambulances were refurbished and that six new ambulances were planned. Those details matter because referral speed depends not only on hospital equipment but also on transport and coordination between facilities. ### What comes next in the rollout? May 2026 procurement notices point to the next visible milestones. (kiambu.go.ke) Kiambu’s current tender pipeline includes the proposed Mwiki Level III hospital, works at Thika Level 5 Hospital and equipment purchases for imaging services at higher-level hospitals. The county has also said the digital health system and computer rollout will extend across 123 facilities, giving residents and staff the clearest markers to watch in the next phase. (kiambu.go.ke)