The newly opened hospital in Sikata along the Malaba-Webuye highway.
By Timothy Wekesa
SIKATA,BUNGOMA
A new state-of-the-art facility ,Bungoma Children’s Hospital has opened its doors , offering renewed hope in reducing maternal and neonatal deaths in Bungoma County and the wider Western region.
The hospital is expected to serve patients from Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga and Trans Nzoia counties.
Dr. Dickens Lubanga, the facility’s director, said the expanded hospital now includes larger wards, a modern theater, a newborn unit, a maternity wing and a full suite of outpatient, immunization, counseling, optical, dental and specialist services aimed at providing comprehensive maternal and child care under one roof.
“Initially, we operated in a small building in Bungoma, but now we have moved to Sikata and expanded our scope of services,” Lubanga said.
Speaking in Nairobi on June 17, 2025, during the launch of a three-day co-creation workshop on maternal and neonatal health, Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr. Ouma Oluga called for stronger and sustainable partnerships to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes nationwide.
He emphasized the need to drastically reduce preventable deaths.
Oluga said that despite government efforts, Kenya’s maternal mortality rate remains unacceptably high.
“I know when it comes to deaths, we should not compare ourselves, but we are doing horribly bad compared to our neighbors,” he said.
According to the 2024 USAID report on preventing child and maternal deaths, Kenya’s maternal mortality rate stands at 594 deaths per 100,000 live births, far from the Sustainable Development Goal target of 70 per 100,000 by 2030.
Lubanga said the new facility will provide 24/7 inpatient care, safe and comfortable wards; a fully equipped theater, an upgraded newborn unit capable of handling complicated and premature cases and comprehensive immunization, counseling and specialist services.
It will also offer pharmacy and laboratory services for faster diagnosis and treatment.
“With this expansion, Bungoma communities now have a chance to significantly reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, ensuring safer childbirth experiences for mothers and healthier starts for newborns,” he said.
Lubanga emphasized the importance of collaboration with public facilities and community health promoters to address maternal health challenges in Bungoma.
He also said the hospital specializes in preterm care and has partnered with facilities in Eldoret.
According to the Ministry of Health, 12% of all live births annually in Kenya are preterm.
The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey reports a neonatal mortality rate of 21 deaths per 1,000 live births, accounting for 51% of all under-five deaths.
