By Issa Hussein - Reporter
July 6, 2026 - Garissa County Teaching and Referral Hospital is set to be elevated to a National Referral Hospital, marking a significant milestone in the Government's efforts to expand access to specialised healthcare services in Northern Kenya.
The planned upgrade is part of the Ministry of Health's broader reforms aimed at strengthening Kenya's referral healthcare system and improving equitable access to advanced medical services under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme.
Once granted national referral status, Garissa County Teaching and Referral Hospital will become the highest-level public healthcare institution serving Garissa and the wider North Eastern region. The transition is expected to reduce the need for patients to travel to Nairobi and other major cities for specialised treatment.
The upgrade will also bring greater institutional autonomy, stronger governance structures and increased national government funding to support specialised medical services, recruit additional healthcare personnel and invest in modern medical equipment.
Confirming the new development, the Garissa Referral Hospital CEO Mahat Salah, said the transition will enhance the hospital's capacity to offer specialised care in critical care medicine, surgery, oncology, renal services, maternal and neonatal health, advanced diagnostics, medical training and research.
He revealed that the development comes as the Ministry seeks to address the increasing burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases while easing pressure on existing national referral hospitals.
“Garissa County Teaching and Referral Hospital has evolved considerably since opening in 1967 as a municipal health facility before being transferred to the Ministry of Health in 1970, the to devolved government and its current anticipated upgrade will put the facility under the national ministry of health,” he said.
Originally established to serve a relatively small population, the institution has grown into the region's leading teaching and referral hospital, maintaining an average bed occupancy rate of 82 per cent.
The hospital currently has seven major inpatient wards comprising male medical, male surgical, female medical, female surgical, gynaecology, maternity and paediatric units. Its maternity wing accommodates 41 patients and is supported by 28 neonatal incubators to provide specialised care for newborns.
According to Mahat, every month, the facility records an average of 10,588 outpatient visits and admits approximately 1,073 patients, serving a catchment population of more than 52,900 people.
Beyond Garissa County, the hospital provides referral services to Wajir, Mandera, Isiolo, Tana River and Kitui counties. It also serves as the principal referral facility for the Dadaab refugee complex, home to more than 355,000 refugees.
The hospital offers comprehensive healthcare services, including outpatient and inpatient care, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, rehabilitation, intensive care, oncology, renal services, laboratory diagnostics, CT scan and MRI imaging.
It also hosts the regional satellite blood transfusion centre, supplying blood and blood products to health facilities across the North Eastern region.
The facility employs 608 healthcare workers, among them 51 medical specialists and 25 medical officers, making it one of the largest healthcare institutions in Northern Kenya.
The CEO noted that recent investments have further strengthened its capacity. These include the establishment of a Regional Cancer Centre serving patients from across Northern Kenya, completion of a modern eye unit awaiting staffing and commissioning, and construction of a new 12-body mortuary equipped for embalming, post-mortem examinations and body preservation.
He said despite the gains, the hospital continues to face challenges common to many county referral facilities, including rising demand for healthcare services, inadequate funding and shortages of specialised medical personnel.
“ Nevertheless, sustained investment in infrastructure, specialised services and human resources has positioned the hospital for national referral status,” he added.
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As one of Kenya's eight former Provincial General Hospitals, Garissa County Teaching and Referral Hospital has played a central role in delivering referral healthcare across the North Eastern region for decades. Its elevation to a National Referral Hospital is expected to strengthen specialised healthcare delivery, enhance medical education and research, and bring life-saving services closer to millions of residents in Northern Kenya while reducing pressure on existing national referral facilities.