PS Oluga pushes quality finish on Sh1 billion Meru Level 5 hospital upgrade
Key points
- PS for Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga inspected the national government’s Sh1 billion upgrade of Meru Level 5 Hospital.
- Works are planned to add 360 beds, eight modern surgical theatres, advanced diagnostics and more specialised services.
- Oluga said completion should cut congestion and waiting times and reduce families’ costs of seeking care outside the county.
- County and hospital leaders including CEC Dr Dennis Mugambi and MTRH CEO Dr Bernard Murithi joined the tour.
A Sh1 billion national investment in Meru Level 5 Hospital is being measured not only in concrete poured but in beds and theatres that must actually open, Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga said on an inspection tour, KBC reported.
Oluga called for timely completion and quality execution of the upgrade meant to strengthen care for Meru County and the wider region. The project scope highlighted on the tour includes expanding capacity by 360 beds, delivering eight modern surgical theatres, advanced diagnostic equipment and additional specialised services. Those numbers matter for a referral hospital that already absorbs overflow from surrounding counties when theatres or imaging slots run short.
Closer specialised care, fewer out-of-county bills
“Once completed, the upgraded facility will accommodate more patients, reduce congestion and waiting times, and bring specialised healthcare services closer to residents,” Oluga said, adding that families should spend less on transport and related costs when treatment can stay inside the county. Officials present included Meru County Chief of Staff Harun Abuana, CEC for Health Services Dr Dennis Mugambi, Chief Officer Dr Koome Muthuri, Director of Medical Services Dr Kanake Kaumbuki, Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital CEO Dr Bernard Murithi, and County Commissioner George Omollo, among others. Planners also pitch employment, local business and training/research spin-offs from the investment once specialised units are online.
Health desk: Health. Verified budget figure, bed/theatre counts and named officials from KBC; percentage completion, contractor names and opening dates were not detailed in the same dispatch.
Patients will score the project on theatre lists and diagnostic turnaround, not ribbon-cuttings. County health and national PS offices now share a delivery clock measured in commissioned beds, staffed wards and whether Meru residents still board night buses to Nairobi for procedures that the new theatres were meant to host locally.
Based on KBC reporting (Christine Muchira, 11 August 2026). Project scope is as stated by officials on tour; final commissioned capacity may differ.
