Dr. Ouma Oluga Commends MTRH During Inaugural Visit, Pledges Stronger Support for UHC Goals

Dr. Oluga visited several state-of-the-art facilities within MTRH, including the Radiotherapy Centre, the Renal Centre, the Catheterisation Laboratory (Cathlab), and the hospital’s specialized MRI unit.

 

On April 28, 2025, Dr. Ouma Oluga, the Principal Secretary for Medical Services at Kenya’s Ministry of Health, made his inaugural visit to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret. The visit, aimed at assessing service delivery and progress toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), marked a significant milestone in the government's ongoing healthcare reforms.

Recognizing MTRH’s Pioneering Role in Specialized Healthcare

During his tour, Dr. Oluga praised MTRH for its remarkable leadership in delivering specialized healthcare services, advancing medical training, and fostering groundbreaking research. Citing impressive statistics, he highlighted that the hospital treats over 1.5 million patients annually, performs upwards of 60,000 surgeries, and conducts more than 2 million laboratory tests each year. These achievements, he noted, position MTRH as one of Kenya’s leading and most vital health institutions.

Facility Tours Showcase Advanced Medical Services

Dr. Oluga visited several state-of-the-art facilities within MTRH, including the Radiotherapy Centre, the Renal Centre, the Catheterisation Laboratory (Cathlab), and the hospital’s specialized MRI unit. He expressed admiration for the hospital’s investments in cutting-edge technology, which have substantially expanded access to advanced medical care in Western Kenya.

He acknowledged that such investments not only benefit patients in Uasin Gishu County but also across the broader region, encompassing 27 counties and a catchment population of over 25 million people.

Celebrating International Collaborations and SHA Integration

Dr. Oluga commended MTRH’s robust partnerships with international institutions in North America and Europe, recognizing these collaborations as crucial in enhancing clinical care, research excellence, and staff development. Through these alliances, MTRH continues to integrate global best practices into its service delivery models.

Furthermore, he applauded the hospital’s successful implementation of the Social Health Authority (SHA) model, a transformative system that has streamlined insurance claims and improved patient access to healthcare services. Dr. Oluga emphasized that such innovations are critical to the realization of Kenya's UHC agenda.

Strengthening Referral Networks and Decentralizing Care

In his remarks, Dr. Oluga stressed the importance of building a stronger referral system between national referral hospitals like MTRH and county health facilities. He pointed out that addressing congestion at referral hospitals requires capacitating county-level hospitals to manage non-critical cases effectively.

"Every level of healthcare delivery must be efficient and responsive," said Dr. Oluga. "By strengthening county hospitals, we ensure that patients receive quality care closer to their homes, reserving specialized institutions like MTRH for critical and complex cases."

Reaffirming the Ministry’s Commitment to Healthcare Reforms

Dr. Oluga underscored three critical pillars essential for the health sector’s success: restoring public trust, upholding integrity, and delivering quality services. He urged every healthcare worker to embrace these principles to ensure efficient, dignified, and compassionate service delivery.

“We must embed integrity at every level and cultivate a culture of excellence in all our facilities,” he emphasized.

A Warm Reception and Key Stakeholders in Attendance

The Principal Secretary was warmly received by Dr. Philip Kirwa, MTRH Chief Executive Officer, alongside the hospital’s Board Members and senior management team. Accompanying Dr. Oluga were Mr. Douglas Bosire, Acting CEO of the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council, and Ms. Agnes Tuiyot, representing the CEO of the Social Health Authority.

Both Dr. Oluga and the MTRH leadership reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery systems and achieving the national vision for UHC.

MTRH’s Strategic Importance to Kenya’s Healthcare Landscape

Serving a vast and diverse population across Western Kenya, MTRH stands as a cornerstone of the national healthcare system. Its expanded capacities in oncology, nephrology, cardiology, and diagnostic imaging are helping to close critical gaps in access to specialized services.

Dr. Oluga concluded his visit by assuring MTRH of the Ministry’s continued support, citing the hospital’s critical role in the government's broader healthcare reform agenda.

"Our collective success in healthcare will be measured not just by the infrastructure we build, but by the lives we save and the dignity we uphold in every patient encounter," he said.