Delay in operationalising Weija Paediatric Hospital due to misprocurement — Health Ministry

The Ministry of Health has revealed that the Weija Paediatric Hospital has not been commissioned due to unresolved payment issues linked to procurement concerns raised by the World Bank.

The clarification follows a protest at the facility on Tuesday, May 5, by some residents demanding the immediate opening of the hospital.

The Weija Paediatric Hospital project, funded by the World Bank, began in 2023 and was scheduled for completion in December 2025.

However, in a statement issued on Wednesday, the Ministry explained that in 2024, the World Bank flagged procurement breaches, including allegations of inflated medical equipment costs.

“As a result, the World Bank declined to settle all the outstanding payment,” the Ministry said in part of the statement.

According to the Ministry, although it was ready to commission the hospital, the contractor halted the process until all financial issues are resolved.

“However, the contractor subsequently halted this process, insisting that all outstanding issues be fully resolved before granting access to the hospital,” the statement noted.

The Ministry assured that it is engaging all relevant stakeholders to resolve the impasse and operationalise the facility.