Nairobi’s Mbagathi Hospital expands diabetes care with new clinic

KENYA—Mbagathi Hospital has started building a fully equipped diabetes clinic that will transform care for thousands of patients across Nairobi County.

Chief Executive Officer Alexander Irungu announced the development, describing it as a major step forward in addressing the growing diabetes burden in the region.

The new facility will serve more than 150,000 people living with diabetes within the hospital’s catchment area.

Currently, patients face significant challenges accessing consistent care, with the existing diabetes clinic operating only once a week.

This limited schedule forces patients to wait up to four months between review appointments, a delay that frequently results in complications and makes controlling the disease much harder.

Dr. Irungu explained that these long gaps in care often lead to preventable health problems.

Patients struggle to manage their condition effectively when they cannot see their doctors regularly or receive timely adjustments to their treatment plans.

The new clinic will change this by dramatically expanding service availability and reducing waiting times.

The facility operates under the Centre for Driving Change (CDC) initiative, a program designed to increase service days, speed up diagnosis, and provide continuous patient follow-up.

Hospital administrators plan to equip the clinic with modern diagnostic equipment, including HbA1c testing machines that measure long-term blood sugar control.

The facility will also house emergency management kits for handling acute diabetes complications, along with IT systems for maintaining comprehensive patient records.

Additional equipment includes examination couches and blood pressure monitors, all essential for delivering thorough diabetes care.

These tools will enable healthcare workers to conduct complete assessments during each patient visit, catching potential problems before they become serious.

Dr. Irungu emphasized the practical impact of more frequent appointments.

The hospital will review patients regularly, intervene earlier when problems arise, and improve health outcomes for the thousands who depend on Mbagathi for diabetes treatment.

Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company specializing in diabetes care, is partnering with the hospital on this project.

The agreement requires Mbagathi to maintain ethical standards throughout the project, document progress properly, and acknowledge the donor in public communications.

However, the partnership does not influence which medications doctors prescribe or require the hospital to endorse any specific products.

Once the clinic opens, it will strengthen diabetes screening programs, enhance patient education efforts, and reduce the overwhelming queues that currently strain existing services.

Nairobi County residents living with diabetes can expect earlier medical interventions, fewer complications, and a more dignified experience when seeking care.