Metropolitan Hospital Nairobi partners with Marengo Asia Hospitals to debut robotic-assisted knee replacement in Kenya

KENYA—Metropolitan Hospital Nairobi has achieved a groundbreaking medical milestone by performing the first-ever robotic-assisted knee replacement surgeries in East and Central Africa.

The hospital accomplished this feat through a clinical partnership with Marengo Asia Hospitals of India, bringing cutting-edge orthopaedic care to the region.

The landmark surgeries represent a structured skills-transfer and clinical governance collaboration between the two healthcare institutions.

This partnership expands access to precision-based surgical care and advanced orthopaedic treatment options for patients across Kenya and the broader region, eliminating the need for many to travel abroad for specialized procedures.

Orthopaedic surgeons from both Metropolitan Hospital and Marengo Asia Hospitals worked together to perform the procedures.

On December 10, 2025, Dr. Faraj Alkizim from Metropolitan led the inaugural surgery alongside specialists Dr. Anurag Aggarwal and Dr. Rohit Thakkar from Marengo Asia Hospitals.

The team then performed a second procedure with Dr. Nathan Khamala from Metropolitan, supported by the same specialist team from India.

The hospital conducted all procedures in strict accordance with established clinical protocols, regulatory requirements, and patient consent processes.

This achievement positions Metropolitan Hospital as a regional center for advanced orthopaedic care training and medical tourism.

Dr. Faraj Alkizim, Metropolitan’s orthopaedic surgeon, explained that robotic-assisted surgery delivers greater accuracy in surgical planning and execution.

The technology supports improved recovery outcomes and long-term joint function while allowing patients to access advanced orthopaedic care closer to home.

This eliminates the physical, emotional, and financial burden of traveling internationally for treatment.

Dr. Gakombe, founder and CEO of Metropolitan Hospital, emphasized that healthcare progress requires collaboration rather than isolated institutional efforts.

He noted that introducing robotic-assisted surgery at Metropolitan reflects the hospital’s commitment to offering patients care that meets the highest clinical standards.

The CEO highlighted the hospital’s long-standing philosophy of being true partners in health, shaped by over 30 years of continuous investment in people, processes, and technology.

He expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Health for its support and acknowledged the collaboration with Marengo Asia Hospitals.

Dr. Gakombe also thanked partners including Meril Life Sciences, Wessex Pharmaceuticals, and KCB for their contributions to this achievement.

He praised the hospital’s doctors and staff, whose dedication to learning and excellence continues to raise patient care standards.

Their commitment to professional development made this technological advancement possible.

Dr. Raajiv Singhal, founding member, group managing director, and CEO of Marengo Asia Hospitals India, described the successful completion of the surgeries as a defining moment for regional orthopaedic care.

He emphasized that Marengo Asia Hospitals aims to bring clinical excellence closer to local communities, ensuring patients are not compelled to travel long distances or across borders for advanced treatment.

Dr. Singhal explained that Marengo’s proven approach follows the 3Ts framework: Teach, Train, and Treat.

Through this methodology, the Indian hospital worked closely with Metropolitan Hospital’s surgical teams to embed global standards of planning, execution, and governance into local practice.

He congratulated the leadership teams, clinicians, and all partners, including Meril Life Sciences, for setting a new benchmark in collaborative, patient-centric care for the region.

Meril Life Sciences supplied the robotic system used during the procedures, marking the first deployment of this robotic knee replacement technology in Africa.

As one of the leading global medical device manufacturers, Meril enabled seamless integration of the technology across Metropolitan’s orthopaedic services, operating theatres, and clinical governance frameworks.

The hospital adopted the technology in alignment with international best practices and established clinical workflows.

This approach prioritizes patient safety, consistency, and reliability while introducing advanced robotic-assisted surgery to the region.

Over the past three decades, Metropolitan Hospital has strengthened its clinical capability, operational processes, and supporting infrastructure through continuous innovation.

The introduction of robotic-assisted knee replacement represents a direct outcome of that long-term investment in delivering safe and sustainable care to patients across Africa.