Amref International University (AMIU) has announced plans to establish the Beyond Zero Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital as a teaching facility, marking a significant milestone in Kenya’s efforts to improve maternal and child healthcare while strengthening the training of future health professionals.
The proposed hospital, to be developed in partnership with the Beyond Zero Foundation under the patronage of former First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, is expected to combine quality healthcare delivery with world-class medical education, creating a centre of excellence for maternal and child health in Africa.
The announcement was made during AMIU’s 7th graduation ceremony held at the university’s Northlands campus under the theme Raising Leaders for Africa’s Health Transformation, where more than 530 students graduated with certificates, diplomas, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
A Vision Beyond Graduation
Speaking during the ceremony, Sheila Khama, Chairperson of the International Board of Directors for Amref Health Africa, said the university’s ambitions extend beyond producing graduates to creating an ecosystem that equips future generations of healthcare professionals with practical experience.
She revealed that discussions are underway with the Beyond Zero Foundation to build the teaching hospital at the university.
According to Khama, strategic partnerships such as the collaboration with Beyond Zero are critical to expanding healthcare training while addressing Africa’s pressing maternal and child health challenges.
The teaching hospital will provide students with hands-on clinical experience while increasing access to quality maternal and neonatal healthcare services.
Building Africa’s Health Workforce
The planned hospital aligns with AMIU’s broader mission of producing healthcare professionals equipped to solve Africa’s unique health challenges.
AMIU Chancellor Tsitsi Masiyiwa said the institution focuses on developing leaders who understand the continent’s realities and can deliver practical, locally driven health solutions.
The university, which is wholly owned by Amref Health Africa, has more than four decades of experience in training public health professionals through its predecessor, the Amref International Training Centre (AITC).
Today, AMIU continues to expand its health sciences programmes while investing in digital learning to bridge Africa’s health workforce shortage and strengthen health systems across the continent.
The proposed Beyond Zero Teaching Hospital is expected to significantly enhance clinical training by integrating education, research, and patient care under one institution.
The Story Behind Beyond Zero
The planned teaching hospital also represents the next chapter of one of Kenya’s most impactful maternal health initiatives.
The Beyond Zero Initiative was conceived in June 2013 after former First Lady Margaret Kenyatta pledged to intensify advocacy aimed at reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths while eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis.
The commitment was made during her inaugural participation at the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) conference.
On 24 January 2014, Margaret Kenyatta officially launched the Beyond Zero Campaign and became its Founder and Patron.
The initiative was established with a simple but ambitious goal: ensuring that no woman dies while giving life and that every child has the opportunity to be born healthy.
Beyond Zero was designed as an advocacy and partnership platform supporting Kenya’s commitment under Vision 2030 to improve healthcare for women, children, adolescents, and vulnerable communities.
Working alongside national and county governments, development partners, civil society, and the private sector, the initiative has focused on promoting preventive healthcare, strengthening maternal services, increasing immunisation, improving reproductive healthcare, and eliminating HIV transmission from mothers to children.
Throughout her tenure as Kenya’s First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta transformed maternal and child health into a national development priority.
Its work has been guided by successive strategic frameworks covering 2013–2017, 2018–2022, and the current Beyond Zero Strategic Plan 2023–2027.
Margaret Kenyatta’s Enduring Legacy
Through Beyond Zero, she mobilised public and private sector partnerships, championed preventive healthcare, and raised awareness of the importance of quality maternal services, particularly in underserved communities.
One of the initiative’s most visible achievements was the distribution of fully equipped Beyond Zero Mobile Clinics to all 47 counties. These clinics brought essential healthcare services,including antenatal care, postnatal services, immunisation, cancer screening, HIV testing, family planning, and treatment for common illnesses,to remote and marginalized populations.
Margaret Kenyatta also led the internationally recognised Beyond Zero Half Marathon, which raised millions of shillings to support maternal and child health programmes while increasing public awareness about preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
Under her leadership, Beyond Zero became a powerful platform for advocacy, bringing together governments, donors, healthcare professionals, businesses, and communities around a shared goal of improving health outcomes for women and children.
Her commitment earned widespread recognition as one of Kenya’s most successful public health advocacy initiatives.
Strengthening Maternal Healthcare Through Education
The proposed Beyond Zero Teaching Hospital represents more than a new healthcare facility,it symbolizes the evolution of a movement that began over a decade ago.
By integrating maternal healthcare delivery with medical education, the hospital will help produce highly skilled healthcare professionals while expanding access to quality care for mothers and children.
As Kenya and the wider African continent continue working to reduce maternal and newborn mortality, the partnership between AMIU and the Beyond Zero Foundation offers a sustainable model that combines education, innovation, and healthcare service delivery.
If realized, the teaching hospital will not only preserve Margaret Kenyatta’s legacy but also equip a new generation of African health professionals with the skills needed to transform healthcare systems and improve the lives of millions of women and children across the continent.
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