Gachagua challenges health facilities to emulate Karen Hospital

By Peter Ochieng

Deputy President Geoffrey Rigathi Gachagua was on Saturday morning among thousands of runners who took part in the Karen Hospital Heart to Heart Run, in Nairobi.

The Heart to Heart Run has for the last 30 years become a symbol of compassion, resilience and hope for children and families affected by congenital and rheumatic heart diseases.

Through the Heart to Heart run, funds are raised to sponsor heart surgeries for affected children.

The noble cause has over the years seen over 400 children and their families benefit.

The run started at Carnivore grounds in Lang'ata constituency, with Gachagua challenging health facilities to follow footsteps of Karen Hospital, in a bid to brigde the gap in quality healthcare provision.

"The Hospital has led by example; I challenge the other hospitals and medical stakeholders to emulate this initiative, which in the long run, will complement the Government’s efforts of providing quality healthcare to our people," said the deputy president.

Nairobi Women Representative Esther Passaris and Lang'ata MP Phelix Odiwuor alias Jalang'o, were among the participants.

"Today in Langata we hosted the Karen Heart to Heart run. The Karen Hospital hosts this noble event annually to raise funds to help in paying for heart surgeries mostly for children," noted the first term MP.

The MP is under pressure from his party ODM, for skipping National Assembly session when his collegues voted to pass the finance bill, 2023 on Wednesday afternoon.