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For one recovering patient, the thought of no longer having to travel miles in search of quality healthcare is enough to be thankful for.
“As I continue to recuperate at home, I am deeply grateful and wish to sincerely thank every member of staff who cared for me during my stay at the hospital,” said PW, a patient who received treatment at Outspan Teaching and Referral Hospital.
“The doctors, nurses, support staff, catering team, and the entire hospital family demonstrated exceptional professionalism, patience, compassion and kindness throughout my treatment.”
Her experience captures the journey of an institution that began with a simple promise: quality, dignified healthcare should not require a journey to Nairobi.
Outspan Teaching and Referral Hospital celebrated its Silver Jubilee on August 9, with Medical Services PS Ouma Oluga as the guest of honour, just two days after its inaugural graduation on August 7.
The twin milestones, held at the Outspan Global University grounds, marked the growth of the facility since it opened its doors on August 6, 2001, to serve Nyeri and neighbouring communities.
It has since grown into a private level 5 teaching and referral hospital anchoring an integrated ecosystem that brings together clinical care, mental wellness, education, research and innovation.
The institution now has a 250-bed capacity and serves an average of 10,000 patients every month, translating to about 120,000 patients annually.
Its inaugural graduation saw 878 students receive diplomas and certificates, while the Outspan Serenity Centre, established in 2024, has supported more than 300 people through recovery and rehabilitation.
For generations of families in Nyeri, Embu and Nanyuki, Outspan has become part of community life, associated with births, recoveries and moments of care.
“Your reassuring words and dedicated care brought comfort during one of the most difficult moments of my life,” PW said.
“Thank you for treating me with dignity and genuine concern. Because of your commitment and tireless efforts, I am now on the road to full recovery.”
Hospital executive director Dr Godfrey Kiruhi said the institution’s growth comes at a time when healthcare is undergoing profound change, moving beyond treating disease towards wellness, prevention, personalised care, digital health and artificial intelligence.
“Outspan does not intend merely to respond to these changes,” he said.
“It intends to help shape them.”
Kiruhi said the institution’s aspiration is to become a Global Reference University Hospital, while Outspan Global University seeks to become a globally respected institution for service-oriented healthcare education under its Vision 2035.
Speaking during the Silver Jubilee celebrations, Oluga commended the Outspan Academic and Healthcare Ecosystem for integrating healthcare delivery, medical education, research and innovation.
He said institutions such as Outspan help bring specialised services closer to communities and reduce the need for patients to travel long distances for treatment.
Oluga also called for increased investment in local research and innovation to strengthen health security and reduce reliance on externally developed solutions.
He launched the Outspan Teaching and Referral Hospital and Outspan Global University Strategic Plan 2026–35, which focuses on expanding specialised healthcare services, health professions training, research, innovation and digital health.
The plan supports the institution’s transition into a Global Reference University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital.
Outspan Global University vice chancellor Paul Mbugua said the university’s ambitions extend beyond the region.
“Our mission at Outspan Global University is to become a global reference point for service-oriented training in health sciences,” he said.
Mbugua said Africa’s healthcare challenges, including resource constraints, high patient numbers and diseases forgotten elsewhere, had fostered resilience, creativity and compassion that could contribute to global solutions.
The 2026–35 strategic plan identifies five priorities: world-class clinical excellence, development of ethical and service-oriented professionals, impactful research and knowledge translation, resilient institutions, and expanding Outspan’s impact across Kenya, Africa and the global healthcare community.
The institution’s leadership acknowledges that achieving these ambitions will require the collective efforts of staff, students, partners, governing bodies and the communities it serves.
Its growth, it says, has been deliberate, with expansion driven by community needs rather than a race for scale.
That approach is also reflected in its sustained corporate social responsibility programmes, which have quietly contributed to health outcomes across Central Kenya for a generation.
