The Karen Hospital is a private, multi-specialty hospital located in the Karen suburb of Nairobi, Kenya's capital city. The hospital has an in-patient bed capacity of 102.[1][2]

Karen Hospital
Map
Karen Hospital is located in Kenya
Karen Hospital
Geography
LocationKaren, Nairobi, Kenya
Coordinates01°20′10″S 36°43′34″E / 1.33611°S 36.72611°E / -1.33611; 36.72611
Organisation
Care systemPrivate
TypeGeneral Medical Services.
Services
Emergency departmentYes
Beds102
History
OpenedJanuary 1, 2006; 18 years ago (2006-01-01)
Links
WebsiteHomepage
Other linksList of hospitals in Kenya

Location

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The hospital is located in the suburb of Karen off of Nairobi-Langata road, approximately 17 kilometres (11 mi), southwest of the city's central business district.[3] The geographical coordinates of this hospital are: 01°20'10.0"S, 36°43'34.0"E (Latitude:-1.336111; Longitude:36.726111).[4]

Overview

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The hospital offers several specialized services in the areas of internal medicine, pediatrics and surgery, including:[1] (i) Wellness Programs (ii) Day Surgery (iii) Wound Care (iv) Dental Services (v) Cardiac Services (vi) General Surgery (vii) Orthopaedic and Spine Surgery (viii) Gastroenterology (ix) Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) services (x) Paediatrics, among others.[1]

The Kenya Ministry of Health classifies the hospital as a "Level 6" facility on account of the multitude and complexity of services on offer and due to the fact that the hospital serves as a teaching facility.[5]

History

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Karen Hospital was co-founded by a Kenyan medical couple one of whom is Dr. Betty Gikonyo, a pediatric cardiologist, who is one of the 13 female doctors (8 African and 5 Caucasians), to graduate with the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from the Nairobi University School of Medicine in 1975.[5] The other member of the couple is her husband, Dr. Daniel Gikonyo an adult cardiologist, whose practice is based at the hospital. Karen Hospital cost US$14 million to build, funded with an US$8 million mortgage from Kenya Commercial Bank.[6][7]

For the first 14 years, Betty Gikonyo served as the hospital's chief executive officer (CEO). In 2020 she transitioned to serving as the hospital's chairperson, making room for her daughter, Juliet Gikonyo Nyaga, a public health specialist, to assume the role of CEO.[5][8]

Governance

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As of September 2023, the hospital is governed by a nine-person board of directors. The list below names the members of the board.[9]

  1. Betty Muthoni Gikonyo: Chairperson
  2. Daniel Gikonyo: Director, Chief of Cardiology
  3. Juliet Gikonyo Nyaga: Chief Executive Officer
  4. Anthony Gikonyo: Medical Director
  5. Sheila Macharia: Director, Chair Board HR Committee
  6. Timothy Kabiru: Director, Chair Board Finance & Procurement Committee
  7. Michael Kimani: Director, Chair Board Audit & Risk Committee
  8. Ngugi Mwangi: Director
  9. Robinson Mumenya: Director, Chair Board Medical Advisory Committee.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c EAHRC (25 September 2023). "Karen Hospital". East African Health Research Centre (EAHRC). Bujumbura, Burundi. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  2. ^ Bruhan Makong (7 December 2022). "Mixed Reactions As Karen Hospital Charges Between Sh40,000 And 50,000 For Circumcision". 98.4 Capital FM. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Road Distance Between Nairobi Central Business District And The Karen Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Location of The Karen Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya" (Map). Google Maps.
  5. ^ a b c Moraa Obiria (18 June 2023). "A life of service: Dr Betty Gikonyo's 47-year impact on Kenya's health sector". Daily Nation. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  6. ^ BBC News (4 September 2015). "The husband and wife cardiologists who built a hospital" (Video). British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). London, United Kingdom. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  7. ^ "We cater for all, not just the high class". Standard Digital News. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  8. ^ Jackson, Biko (9 July 2021). "Karen Hospital new boss: Taking over my parent's reins". Business Daily Africa. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  9. ^ KH (25 September 2023). "Board Members of Karen Hospital (KH)". Karen Hospital. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
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