The history of Neema Hospital

23 January 1007: Groundbreaking

“A dream come true!”
With these words, Dr. Gianfranco Morino, medical doctor and founder of World Friends, accompanied the inception of building work on the Neema Hospital.
In the presence of Patrizia Sentinelli, Italian Deputy Foreign Minister, the Kenyan Health Minister, the Archbishop of Nairobi and numerous other Italian and local institutional representatives, the “groundbreaking” ceremony took place. “Groundbreaking” in Kenya signifies a traditional way to initiate building work: there is no placing of the first stone: a hole is dug, the ground is broken … therefore ground-breaking.
A hole was made to mark precisely the public entrance to the hospital, where the building’s foundations will be laid. A box containing the project design, a Bible and holy water, were also placed there, and this box will remain interred in the building.
The Bishop blessed the box and the surrounding area, while the Minister amazed everyone by spontaneously lowering himself into the hole and posing for photographs with the box!



29 November 2008: Opening ceremony

At the opening ceremony of the Ruaraka Uhai Neema Hospital, a large number of authorities and representatives of local and international institutions were present, plus the entire World Friends staff, representatives from CISP and Africa Rafiki, project partners, as well as very many friends who wished to celebrate this joyous event with us. The ACREF artists, giving their dance performance as well as African traditional music, also contributed to make this special event so important.

The first phase of the project was thus concluded, including completion of the A & E Department, the Diagnostics Centre, Clinics, the Mother-Infant clinic, Vaccination Centre, Day Hospital, Health Education Centre, the HIV/AIDS Prevention Centre, Pharmacy and Administration Department.

March, 2009: The Neema Hospital opened its doors to patients

The doors were opened to patients at the hospital: in this very first phase of activities we were able to treat around 30-40 a day. Reported cases varied from normal influenza to breast screening, right up to  AIDS testing.
We were still in the very early stages with regard to organizing a work plan: most of all we were trying to regularize the itinerary that patients would have to take between reception, first visit, pharmacy, future follow-ups and so on.

Within just a few weeks, the hospital was able to deal on a daily basis with up to 150-200 patients.




November, 2009: the importance of Training

The Ruaraka Uhai Neema Hospital has been recognised by the Medical Board of Kenya as a Centre for Continue Professional Development (CDP): very few structures throughout Kenya have received this certification.



18 February 2011: Opening of the Maternity and Physiotherapy Departments

On 18 February 2011 World Friends, in collaboration with the CISP, opened the Maternity and Physiotherapy Departments of the Neema Hospital in Nairobi. Also present were Daniel Plas, Head of Social Affairs for the European Union Delegation in Kenya, Rosaria Cacace, representing the Italian Cooperation office in Kenya, besides other partners and local authority donors.

Around 400 patients a day are presently receiving medical treatment at the Neema Hospital.