Embu Level 5 Hospital Transformation

When Governor Cecily Mbarire took office in September 2022, she made an impromptu visit to Embu Level 5 Hospital on Day 1. What she found was stark. "When I took office, Embu Level 5 Hospital was literally dead. There was no food for patients, no medicines, broken machines, and staff who had lost hope. I vowed to change that — and today this hospital is alive again," the Governor told a gathering marking the hospital's centenary on August 30, 2025. Three years later, the transformation is measurable and documented. The hospital founded in 1924 as a dispensary and upgraded to a provincial referral facility over the decades has entered its second century as a genuinely revitalised institution. Key milestones include the launch of a new High Dependency Unit (HDU) in September 2025, a six-bed intermediate care facility with advanced monitoring systems that bridges the gap between the ICU and general wards. Patients recovering from intensive care no longer face the dangerous jump straight to general wards. A state-of-the-art emergency and trauma centre is next in the pipeline, alongside a strengthened ambulance and emergency response system. The maternity wing is now one of the busiest in the country. Two fully equipped maternity theatres and five general theatres are operational. New radiology equipment including X-ray and ultrasound machines supplied through the National Support Equipment Programme has conducted over 8,000 procedures since February 2025 alone (5,000 X-rays and 3,000 ultrasounds). A KSh 18 million laparoscopy machine has been budgeted for 2025 to ease maternity surgeries. The once-abandoned dental unit has been revitalised with modern dental chairs and digital screens. The County Health CECM Jamal Runyenje summed it up: "Through her leadership, Governor Mbarire has taught us teamwork, inclusivity, and resilience. As we celebrate 100 years of this hospital, we are also celebrating a century of hope restored."