The National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security has called for the elevation of the newly constructed National Police Service (NPS) Hospital along Mbagathi Road from a Level 4 to a Level 5 facility.
During an inspection visit on Thursday, the Committee engaged with senior officials from the National Police Service, National Police Service Commission (NPSC), the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Health, and hospital administrators. The delegation was led by the Committee’s Vice Chairperson, Col. (Rtd.) Hon. Dido Rasso (Saku).
In a briefing, Mr. Opil, the officer in charge of the facility, noted that while construction of the hospital is complete, it is not yet operational due to unresolved issues with the contractor. He revealed that the project has so far cost Ksh. 1.2 billion, with Ksh. 400 million disbursed by the Ministry of Interior to the Ministry of Defence. A balance of Ksh. 833,628,135 remains.
Spanning a floor area of 5,800 square metres, the hospital boasts a bed capacity of 150 and has parking space for four ambulances, 20 staff vehicles, and 50 public vehicles.
Committee members questioned the criteria used in classifying the facility as Level 4 and sought clarity on what is needed for it to attain Level 5 status. Officials explained that the upgrade hinges on meeting specific requirements related to service offerings, infrastructure, medical personnel, and licensing. Notably, the absence of an MRI machine was identified as the main impediment to achieving Level 5 classification.
Hon. Rasso urged relevant authorities to prioritize the procurement of the MRI machine, stressing that an upgrade would bring the facility under national government management, thus improving access to funding and enabling it to function as a referral hospital.
“The hospital is well-equipped, but its potential remains untapped. We need to ensure this facility becomes fully operational to serve our officers and the public,” Rasso said, adding that the Committee is committed to securing the necessary budgetary allocations.
Officials were tasked with providing a comprehensive cost estimate for operationalizing the hospital in time for the upcoming national budget discussions.
The Committee’s tour revealed that while most of the hospital equipment was installed as early as 2022, the facility has yet to begin operations. Legislators called for swift action to resolve the remaining hurdles and ensure the hospital begins serving the intended beneficiaries.
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