In exploring the “power” dynamics in the health sector, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) place in Nairobi’s healthcare landscape is uncontestable. Its location has played a pivotal role in influencing the hospital hill area, as arguably Kenya’s premier health cluster. You are more likely to bump into a medic around that strip than anywhere else in Kenya. It also has the highest density of doctors; with close to 1,000 within a two-kilometre radius at any one time.
The reasons are the University of Nairobi Medical School that sprouted around the King George Hospital, now KNH. The Nairobi Hospital, Forces Memorial Hospital and Nairobi West Hospital as well as other private doctors’ office blocks followed later. A smaller satellite cluster around Parklands, incorporating Aga Khan, MP Shah and Avenue hospitals were influenced by the Aga Khan University’s School of Medicine.
