Shoe4Africa Children's Hospital
The hospital is the flagship project of Shoe4Africa, a New York-based charity focused on creating better health and education outcomes in Eastern Africa. Its construction cost an estimated two billion Kenyan shillings and was partially funded by donations from celebrities that included Cristiano Ronaldo, Anthony Edwards, and Natalie Portman.
The Shoe4Africa Children's Hospital operates as a teaching hospital in partnership with Moi University, and the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenya's second-largest national hospital, governs the Shoe4Africa Children's Hospital and the land it is built upon. As of 2024, the hospital treats over 430 in-patients and out-patients per day. .
Construction & expansion
Construction for the hospital began in 2013 and was completed two years later on 12 August 2015, when the hospital opened officially. Initially a 105-bed hospital, it was expanded to 150 beds by 2018, and to 250 in 2020.
Construction of a dedicated kitchen facility to be located next to the children's hospital occurred in 2016; it provides child-friendly nutrition for malnourished patients at the hospital.
In the summer of 2017, annexed buildings were constructed to alleviate overcrowding. The first was used as an immunization center for healthy children and HIV patients, while the second served as a play center to complement the four indoor playrooms.
In 2018, a basketball court was added for patients and for medical school students. The charity announced that a soccer pitch would follow to help children rehabilitate, and in May 2019, an AstroTurf soccer pitch was opened. Later in the year, the Kuunga Mkono classrooms were added to the hospital, making the institution the first hospital in Africa to have children's classrooms inside its complex.
In 2022, Shoe4Africa celebrated treating its millionth patient.
Planned facilities
Construction of the Harry J. Dyer Burns Unit, a planned 35-bed center for treating burns, started in December 2023.
A 152-bed pediatric cancer hospital, the Shoe4Africa Juli Anne Perry Children's Cancer Hospital, is also planned to be built next door to the children's facility to improve on the existing 30-bed ward space. Construction started in January 2024.
References
- ^ "Shoe4Africa Children's Hospital". www.mtrh.go.ke/. 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- ^ https://shoe4africa.org/web_archive/archive/s4a_00111.pdf
- ^ "Celebrities unite to build biggest children's public hospital in Africa". Nation. 2020-07-05. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
- ^ "SHOE4AFRICA CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL". Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital. 2025-01-02. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
- ^ Marie Buitendyk; Wycliffe Kosgei; Julie Thorne; Heather Millar; Joy Marsha Alera; Vincent Kibet; Christian Ochieng Bernard; Beth A. Payne; Caitlin Bernard; Astrid Christoffersen-Deb (2023-02-06). "Impact of free maternity services on outcomes related to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kenya: a retrospective analysis". BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 23 (98): 98. doi:10.1186/s12884-023-05381-3. PMC 9901094. PMID 36747137.
- ^ "Our Hospital". Shoe4Africa. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
- ^ Lay, Kelsey (29 January 2016). "Shoe4Africa Improves Healthcare and Education for Kids". Borgen Magazine. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
- ^ "Keitany, Tanser offers Christmas gifts to hospitalised children, opens basketball court – DAILY SPORT". 2020-09-20. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
- ^ "Lost shoes", People Daily, 12/1/2016
- ^ [1], Daily Nation, 12/31/2018
- ^ [2], HIVISA, 8/1/2019
- ^ Rotich, Bernard (December 13, 2022). "Philanthropist, athletes take Christmas cheer to Shoe4Africa kids". nation.africa.com. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ [3], Eastern Standard, 1/9/2022
- ^ [4], MTRH Official website, 24/12/2023