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May 7, 2026PS Muthoni Inspect a Site for the Construction of the Proposed Teaching and Research Hospital at KEMRI Kirinyaga
By Fredrick Were
On 1st May 2026, the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) – Centre for Community Driven Research (CCDR) hosted the Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Ms. Mary Muthoni, for an official site assessment of the proposed Teaching and Research Hospital.
The Principal Secretary was received by KEMRI Board Chair, Dr. Abdullahi Ali, alongside the Director Corporate Services, Mr. Jones Otuke (who represented the Acting Director General, Prof. Elijah Songok), Acting Director of Research and Development, Dr. Erick Muok, and Acting Deputy Director KEMRI Kirinyaga, Dr. Sospeter Njeru. The visit included the project contractor, facilitating a technical appraisal of the site’s readiness for the proposed facility.
The assessment focused on evaluating the site’s suitability for advancing KEMRI’s strategic vision of integrating clinical services, biomedical research, and training within a unified academic health system. The proposed facility is expected to strengthen translational research capacity, enhance healthcare service delivery, and support workforce development in alignment with national health priorities.
In recognition of Kenya’s policy direction toward integrating traditional medicine into the formal health system, the Principal Secretary and the Board Chair led a ceremonial planting of medicinal plant species at the CCDR Centre. Species planted included Prunus africana, Warburgia ugandensis, and Pittosporum undulatum, among others. This initiative contributes to conservation efforts and advances the scientific validation and integration of traditional medicine into Kenya’s health systems.
The visit underscores KEMRI’s commitment to research excellence, innovation, and biodiversity conservation, while reinforcing the Government of Kenya’s agenda on evidence-based integration of traditional medicine into healthcare delivery.
