Each year countless mothers and babies die from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth around the world. Even worse, is that millions of children die before the age of five around the world due to disease and malnutrition. In Kenya these death rates are still high. The majority of these deaths are preventable with the right medical care, education and nutrition. We want to help reduce and prevent unnecessary deaths. This is why we wanted to be the initiators of our project for building the Kenswed Hospital in cooperation with the Zelmerlöw & Björkman Foundation and Rejlers.

We are happy to announce that the doors to Kenswed Hospital have been open since June 2019! Located in Ngong, Kenya, just 20 minutes outside Nairobi, our hospital stands on land generously donated by elite Kenyan runner Isaac Macharia Wanjohi. With a strong focus on maternity care, Kenswed Hospital plays a vital role in addressing the healthcare challenges faced by women in Kenya.

Maternal and infant mortality rates in Kenya are alarmingly high compared to countries like Sweden. For every one woman who dies during childbirth in Sweden, a staggering 137 women lose their lives in Kenya. Similarly, while one baby may lose their life during childbirth in Sweden, 16 babies face the same fate in Kenya. These statistics highlight the urgent need for safe and accessible healthcare facilities.

At Kenswed Hospital, our goal is to reduce these distressing figures and provide a safe place for women to give birth. We believe that no woman should have to go through childbirth without medical assistance. That is why we offer comprehensive prenatal and antenatal care to ensure the well-being of both mothers and their babies. We are proud to share that our commitment to enhancing maternal and infant care has been strengthened by the addition of the NeoPuff machine.

The NeoPuff machine, acquired in March, has proven to be a lifesaving asset. It has already saved the lives of two newborns at Kenswed Hospital. This advanced equipment plays a crucial role in stabilizing newborns in distress, ensuring their smooth transition to a hospital equipped with a Newborn Unit ICU. We are immensely proud of the positive outcomes we have achieved with this significant investment.

In addition to our maternity services, Kenswed Hospital provides general healthcare to the public. Our dedicated medical professionals work tirelessly to offer high-quality care in line with Kenyan standards. We are committed to improving the health and well-being of our community, which includes providing educational workshops on topics such as sexual education for youth and family planning.

We are proud to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By investing in healthcare and providing employment opportunities, we contribute to Goal #3 – “Good health and well-being,” and Goal #8 – “Decent work and economic growth.” The SDGs outline a global agenda for sustainable development by 2030, aiming to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all.

Since our establishment, Kenswed Hospital has made significant progress. We are pleased to share that we have already conducted several successful medical camps and outreach programs, reaching underserved communities and providing vital healthcare services. These initiatives have allowed us to extend our reach beyond the hospital premises and offer assistance to those who lack easy access to medical facilities.

To provide you with a closer look at Kenswed Hospital, we invite you to watch this captivating short film created by Tomas Johansson. It beautifully captures the essence of our hospital and our commitment to serving the community.

Thank you for visiting our project page, and we invite you to join us in our journey to provide excellent medical
care while striving towards a better future for all.

 

Babies born at Kenswed Hospital

The benefits of Kenswed Hospital is that they offer great maternity care! Not only do they provide prenatal and post natal, they also provide a safe place for mothers to give birth at. During 2020 there have been 8 babies born at Kenswed Hospital. All mothers and babies were safe and healthy during and after the delivery. Please meet the babies born this year!

 

Fifth trip to Kenya – February 2020

We were very happy to return to Kenya and follow up on the Kenswed Hospital since it has been open for 7 months. In those months the Kenswed Hospital has seen 1 048 patients. We were thrilled to learn more about the first mother to give birth at the clinic in January. Whitney who is 20 years old, gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Brave. He was born on January 11 and weighing 2.7kg. Whitney said she found our clinic by walking by one day when she was 7-months pregnant and decided to step inside for a check up as she felt it looked clean and the staff were friendly and welcoming. She continued to do her check ups at Kenswed Hospital because “the staff really took their time with me which me feel seen and cared for”. Whitney said “giving birth at Kenswed Hospital was the best experience of my life.”

The staff continue to give excellent care to each patient. We anticipate to see a rise in maternity care and patient numbers in the coming months with further marketing to the public.

Fourth trip to Kenya – July/August 2019

It was amazing to see that the Kenswed Hospital was open and had been running for one month. We had employed eight members of staff who we had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know. They wanted the chance to give back to others, what they once did not receive as well as working in a maternity atmosphere. Everything in the clinic is well organised and well kept. All of the medical equipment and furniture from the shipping container we sent to Kenya in 2018 was unloaded and set up throughout the clinic where needed. We helped contribute with a few items still needed such as a washing machine, printer, heaters, hand sanitiser, gloves, cleaning products, toilet paper, blankets, bed sheets and office supplies. After speaking to the staff they informed us that in the one month of being open they had treated 255 persons and after the month of August they had treated 304 people. It was a wonderful feeling to see patients coming to be treated and then receiving their needed medicine from our pharmacy. In the pharmacy they have many different types of medicine such as antibiotics, ointments, malaria tablets, bandages, deworming medication and much more. Our staff has already admitted pregnant mothers where one is due to give birth in five weeks. They are working hard to get the last items needed to provide safe births with the right equipment for mothers and their babies. The laboratory is equipped to perform 70% of tests, such as blood grouping, malaria quick tests, HIV quick tests and testing for Hepatitis B. This means our laboratory technician can get results for the patient within 15 minutes.

Please meet our wonderful staff at the Kenswed Hospital.

 

Third trip to Kenya – November 2018

We traveled back to Kenya to follow up the building process and hold the inauguration of the building that is built so far. Since our last visit in September, the building now has completed walls, a roof, plastered walls, septic tank/placenta pit/incinerator are completed, and the windows have been installed. Plumbing and electricity have been put in, so that in the future they can be connected. While here on this visit, the ceiling and glass has been installed into the window frames. We felt very happy to provide the construction workers with a good hardy lunch again, to show our gratitude for their very hard work!

We were so happy and thrilled to celebrate the inauguration of the Kenswed Hospital on November 8. Many of the surrounding local people came to show to their support. Mäns Zelmerlöw, Jonas Björkman, Lisa Rejler, Isaac Macharia, Monica Hellström, Michael Hjelmaker the Deputy Ambassador from the Swedish Embassy, board members from the Zelmerlöw & Björkman Foundation, and board members from Global Relations. Speeches were held by the are Chief Jimmy Githiga, Sophie Lööf, Michael Hjelmaker and Lisa Rejler. Entertainment was provided by Måns Zelmerlöw with his song “Heroes” and a dance by the Masaai people. We unveiled the sign to the health center, and cut the cake for everyone to share. Everyone joined in for a walk through of the building to see all of the rooms, and then continued up the hill to Kenswed Academy. It was a very happy and great day with everyone. It felt special to share it with so many people, and we cannot wait until the day the clinic doors are open to the public!

   

Second trip to Kenya – September 2018

During September 2018, we went to Kenya for our 2nd trip. We followed up on the building process of the Kenswed Hospital While there, the septic tank hole was dug, the concrete slab was laid, and the walls of the clinic were built. It was a great experience to see the beginning progress of the building.

First trip to Kenya – March 2018

During March 2018 we went to Kenya for the first time with Zelmerlöw & Björkman Foundation and Gnosjöglobal Association. While there we broke the first ground together with Måns Zelmerlöw, elite Kenyan runner  Isaac Macharia and Monica Hellström. It was such a happy moment, as this was the beginning for something greater!

 

Cooperation with Zelmerlöw & Björkman Foundation

We are building the Kenswed Hospital in close cooperation with the Zelmerlöw & Björkman Foundation, Global Relations and Rejlers. We have decided that it is beneficial to build the Kenswed Hospital in Ngong, Kenya as the ZB Foundation has existing projects next door to where the Kenswed Hospital is built. These two projects are the Kenswed Academy which is a secondary school for young people in the Nariobi slum areas, and a boarding facility for 54 homeless teenage girls. As well they have a project in Uganda where they work to get vulnerable young boys off of the streets and they give support to the Star for Life projects in South Africa. We are so happy and grateful that we have the opportunity to work alongside ZB Foundation to create an educational, safe and clean place for mothers, babies and the local people to receive medical care!

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