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Christ-Transformed Health, Lives and World

Established in 1937, and located in Bomet County, Tenwek Hospital is the Medical Ministry of the Africa Gospel Church, it was founded by the World Gospel Mission. We are a 400-bed Teaching and Referral Hospital registered as a Faith-Based Health Facility in Kenya serving over a million people in the vast Southwest region of Kenya and the country at large. We see patients from outside the country, that is, East, Central, and West of Africa.
Tenwek Hospital is a Christian community that seeks to exemplify Christ in all aspects of what we do and strongly believes that as We Treat, Jesus is the ultimate Healer. We provide compassionate healthcare services centered on quality and Christ-mindedness.

Our Motto

We Treat ~ Jesus Heals

Brief History

The history of Tenwek Hospital dates back to 1937 when WGM sent Trudy Shyrock to serve as the first trained nurse. Later on in 1959, Dr. Ernie Steury and his wife arrived to serve as the first missionary doctor and to assist Trudy with the medical functions. The adventures of Dr. Steury, popularly known as ‘Mosonik’, have been documented in a beautiful book titled the Miracle at Tenwek. The book documents in detail how God used men like you and me to serve the sick and how Dr. Steury set the foundation blocks for what would grow to become a thought leader in the Kenyan medical sector.

We recognize that our history would be non-existent without World Gospel Mission, the Africa Gospel Church and the Tenwek community. The three have been a support pillar for the hospital and have stood with us through the good and the bad. Here is a detailed step by step overview of our history that dates back to 1935.

1935
1937
1949
1959
1966
1969
1971
1973
1975
1981
1983
1985
1987
1991
1995
1997
2005
2007
2011
2013

1935

1.Colonial government awards Mr. Hotchkiss with land and he gives this to WGM
2.WGM sends Robert & Catherine Smith to Tenwek

1937

WGM send the Tenwek Station the first trained nurse – Gertrude Shyrock

1949

1.Light plant arrived- donated by McNeal family
2.Extra plot granted for building the hospital
3.The chapel was the first permanent building established

1959

1.Dr. Ernie Steury & his wife Sue arrive at Tenwek
2.The clinic had grown into a hospital
3.Approval for expanding the hospital building was granted and construction commenced. This was completed in 1962

1966

Former President Daniel Arap Moi visited Kaboson and broke ground for the new 8- bed ward

1969

Dr. Bob Wesche joins Dr. Steury at Tenwek

1971

Daily business operations had picked up resulting in the need for a hospital Administrator. Rev. Ezekiel Kerich was sent for training in Nairobi

1973

1.Mr. Edwin Kirui and his wife Sarah settle in West Pokot
2.First Tenwek medical outreach ministry established at Chepnyal

1975

Rev. David Kilel takes over as a full-time chaplain

1981

1.Franklin Graham raises funds for a new building through World Medical Mission
2.Construction of the Johana Ng’etich Medical Center commences & the ward is opened in 1985

1983

Community Health Program was set up by nurse Susan Carter and Dr. David Stevens

1985

1.Barbra pinkly completes her schooling and becomes the first Registered Community Health Nurse in Kenya
2.She works with Dr. Mary Hermiz to establish a School of Nursing at Tenwek

1987

1.Tenwek School of Nursing is opened
2.Construction of the hydroelectric station is completed

1991

We began training chaplains for hospitals, military & prison services through the L. Nelson Bell Chaplains School

1995

Medical internship programme is established

1997

ASHA (American Schools and Hospitals Abroad) completes construction of twin buildings that now house a laboratory, canteen, wound ward and support services

2005

A new operating theater and medical education buildings are completed thanks to generous donations from Samaritan’s Purse and numerous private donors.

2007

1.We began General Surgery Residency Training Program
2.Our parners were College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS), and Moi University.

2011

The hospital unveils a new CT scanner donated by Toshiba

2013

The hospital fully integrates an electronic medical records system

Our Board

Rev. Dr. Robert Langat

BISHOP AGC KENYA,BOARD CHAIR

Rev. John Kisotu

ASSISTANT BISHOP AGC KENYA,BOARD MEMBER

CPA Emmanuel Lelgo

BOARD MEMBER

Mr Isaac Kitur

BOARD MEMBER

Mr Collins Cheruiyot

BOARD MEMBER

Mrs. Margaret Siele

BOARD MEMBER

Mr. Wilson Koligey

BOARD MEMBER

Mr. Patrick Twala

BOARD MEMBER

Dr. Samuel Mwenda

BOARD MEMBER

Dr. Bob Parker

BOARD MEMBER

Management Team

Mr Shem Tangus

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Mr. Benjamin Siele

DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCE AND ADMINISTRATION

Mr Joel Mutai

DIRECTOR, NURSING SERVICES

Rev. Elijah Bii

DIRECTOR, SPIRITUAL AFFAIRS

Weldon Kigen

DIRECTOR - FINANCE AND ICT

Rev Paul Lokol

PRINCIPAL, SCHOOL OF CHAPLAINCY

Mr. Jonathan Bii

DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Mr Jackson Mosonik

PRINCIPAL, SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCE

Dr. Russ White

DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL SERVICES

Grow your Career With Us

Established in 1937 and located at Bomet County, Tenwek Hospital is a Ministry of the Africa Gospel Church Kenya. It’s a 361 Bed Capacity Teaching and Referral Hospital serving the vast Southwest Region of Kenya including but not limited to Bomet, Narok, Kisii, Kericho and Kisumu Counties. Over the years, the Hospital has grown to become one of the top healthcare institutions in the Country offering a wide variety of healthcare services.

Tenwek Hospital is a Christian Community committed to excellence in provision of Compassionate Healthcare, Spiritual Ministry and Training for Service to the Glory of God.

To ensure efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery, the Hospital is seeking to recruit highly motivated, ministry minded, born again Christians with good standing, demonstrating spiritual maturity, integrity, and a calling to serve to

Strategic Partnerships

They say that a good friend knows all your best stories but a best friend has lived them with you. We pride ourselves in having wonderful strategic partners who have walked with us in our quest to provide quality yet affordable healthcare. Important institutions we have partnered with include:

The Africa Gospel Church

As the Medical Ministry of the Africa Gospel Church, Tenwek Hospital squarely falls under the Compassion Department in the Health Outreach Program section. We draw our Christian values and standard operating procedures from Biblical inspired teachings as instructed by the doctrines of AGC.

The Africa Gospel Church plays the following role in the management of Tenwek Hospital:

  • Provides spiritual support and guidance
  • Nominates the Board of Trustees who oversee the running of the hospital
  • The Bishop and Assistant Bishop of AGC act as the Board Chairman and Assistant Board Chairman respectively
  • The church connects us with strategic partners and stakeholders who assist to propel Tenwek Hospital towards growth

We are proud to be affiliated with the Africa Gospel Church and look forward to a continued and sustained relationship.

World Gospel Mission

The history of Tenwek Hospital is incomplete without the mention of World Gospel Mission. The World Gospel Mission team engages Christ-like disciples to transform the world. Over the years, WGM has supported Tenwek Hospital in the following ways:

  • They sit on our Board and Management teams
  • They send missionaries to serve in different capacities within the hospital facilities
  • The raise funds on our behalf and support different projects within the hospital facility
  • They offer spiritual support and guidance

Samaritan’s Purse

The mission of Samaritan’s Purse is to follow the example of Christ by helping those in need and proclaiming the hope of the Gospel. Over the years, our partnership with SP has been sustained through the grace and favour of God. Through SP, Tenwek Hospital benefits in the following ways:

  • Equipment and medical supplies support
  • Support of our Chaplain’s Bible Ministry
  • Connecting Missionary doctors and surgeons who wish to volunteer at Tenwek Hospital
  • Praying and supporting the hospital in various projects

Christian Health Association of Kenya (CHAK)

CHAK creates a platform for member protestant mission hospitals to meet, share ideas, integrate plans but most of all praise God for the work that he doing in the improvement of the health sector. Tenwek Hospital continues to benefit from our partnership with CHAK in the following ways:

  • Advocacy of medical issues
  • Strengthening of the health system
  • Architectural advise
  • Capacity building
  • Networking

CBM

CBM is one of our key partners for our Eye and Dental Unit. CBM focuses on eradicating diseases with cause impairment and hence support our Eye unit through various initiatives that help us prevent blindness and other permanent eye damage. Through CBM, our eye unit continues to:

  • Train its staff on the emerging trends of eye ailments
  • Offer annual children eye camps
  • Run an education programme for teachers which helps them identify potential eye issues in their students

Friends of Tenwek

Established in 2009, Friends of Tenwek is dedicated to developing key relationships and resources that help the hospital fulfill its mission. This is done mostly through the art of capturing impactful stories about people and the mission at Tenwek Hospital. Through Friends of Tenwek, the hospital is able to:

  • Initiate hospital projects and programmes that are resource intensive
  • Sustain our Chaplaincy programmes and the School of Chaplaincy
  • Establish and sustain Community Health Programmes
  • Create an impact in the individual lives of both staff and patients
  • Support development initiatives by the Tenwek Hospital College of Health Sciences

Mission

We are a Christian community committed to excellence in compassionate healthcare, spiritual ministry, and training for service to the glory of God.

Vision

Christ-Transformed Health, Lives, and World.

Core Values:

Accountability

We take responsibility for things that happen and give satisfactory reason for them

Biblical Authority
We serve our stakeholders as guided by biblical principles of service

Servant hood
We choose to serve stakeholders completely as guided by Biblical principles of service

Diversity
We are a single unit composed of many elements.

Integrity
We are honest and have strong moral principles

Excellence
We believe in providing outstanding care to our clients

Professionalism
We are competent and skilled in our areas of service

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