The Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi has announced plans to establish a Children’s Specialty Hospital to offer the most advanced care for children in the region and a Cancer Research Centre to document and inform treatment options for patients.
Speaking during the launch of a series of events to mark the hospitals’ 60th anniversary, Firoz Rasul, President of Aga Khan University said the Children hospital and the cancer research centre will be among other firsts that the hospital is investing in with a view to boosting the quality of healthcare services in Kenya. The children’s specialty hospital will be the only one of its kind in the region, while the cancer research centre will be a major boost to efforts leading to effective and affordable treatment to the disease that accounts for 1 in every 10 deaths in the country.
“When we celebrate our 60th anniversary, we are commemorating much more than the simple fact that the hospital has endured, notable though its longevity surely is. What we are celebrating above all is the difference that it makes – that all of us make, together”, said President Rasul.
He added, “Our care is the difference between a father recovering from a heart attack, and his children growing up without him. It is the difference between a little girl surviving a traffic crash, and her parents suffering the loss of their child.”
The celebrations activities themed ‘First from the Beginning’, will last for four months and will highlights the hospital’s development journey since it was established to the now reputable teaching, tertiary and referral healthcare facility, offering super-specialty services to residents of the East Africa region and beyond.
President added that the Hospital is a very different institution than what it used to be. From a modest secondary hospital, it has grown into an internationally accredited academic medical centre of national and regional importance.
Speaking at the event, Dr Shawn Bolouki, the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer said a series of activities to celebrate the sixty years had been planned to run during the remaining part of the year.
“Part of them is a number of community engagement activities that we will launch over the next few months. We will be working with relevant stakeholders to ensure that these activities benefit members of the public that need them most. We shall conclude our celebrations with a gala night for our stakeholders”, said Dr Bolouki.
A photo exhibition of the hospital’s history, milestones and other major achievements to date has been set up at the Heart and Cancer Centre, and is open to members of the public. It illustrates developments over the years, and how research and training has seen the hospital evolve into a pioneer in many respects, setting the pace for healthcare in the region.