Modern Lab Equipment Installed in Regional Hospitals

Kenya is making a major push to modernise its regional hospital laboratories under the National Equipment Service Programme (NESP), officials say. Through this initiative, public health facilities are being equipped with state‑of‑the‑art diagnostic tools — including analyzers, centrifuges, incubators, microscopes and more — that were previously limited to larger national referral centres.
One of the early installations was commissioned at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu County, where Health CS Aden Duale inaugurated new CT scan and mammogram units. At Ahero County Hospital, a specialized XN-31 analyzer has been installed, allowing lab technicians to detect and count malaria-infected red blood cells in under a minute — a step that could significantly improve malaria diagnosis in the region.
In Nakuru County, the Nakuru County Referral & Teaching Hospital has unveiled a brand-new ultra-modern lab fitted with an Atellica Solution system. The AI-powered system automates a wide array of tests — such as cardiac, liver, thyroid and kidney function — producing results in about an hour. According to the county health leadership, this upgrade will help reduce misdiagnoses and eliminate long waits for lab results.
Health officials and county governments are optimistic that the lab modernisation drive will decentralize critical diagnostic services, reduce referrals to national hospitals, and strengthen the capacity of regional facilities. Because NESP’s model includes not just equipment installation but also ongoing maintenance, training, and service contracts, the initiative is positioned to deliver long-term improvements in healthcare diagnostics across Kenya.