About us
Over six decades of healing in Thika
We are a Catholic mission hospital that continues the healing ministry of Christ: holistic, affordable and compassionate care for body, mind and spirit.
Who we are
A hospital built by faith and community
Mary Help of the Sick Mission Hospital began in the early 1960s as a maternity hospital serving the mothers and newborns of Thika. Today it is a KEPH Level 4 hospital with 24-hour emergency, outpatient, maternity, surgical, renal, diagnostic and rehabilitation services, owned by the Archdiocese of Nairobi and managed by the Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate (SMMI) Sisters.
A decade ago the hospital was a modest facility with weather-beaten buildings and a single outpatient room. Driven by faith and a community that rallied behind every expansion, it has grown into a modern campus with a bustling outpatient wing, two operating theatres, a renal unit, a high dependency unit, and in 2025 a new Mother and Child Centre, Speech Therapy Unit and expanded Research Unit.
Through it all, one thing has not changed: every patient is received with dignity, whatever their faith, background or ability to pay.
Our patroness
Mary Help of the Sick, pray for us
The hospital is placed under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title Help of the Sick (Salus Infirmorum), invoked in the Litany of Loreto for all who suffer illness. Her image welcomes every patient at our gate, and the Marian grotto in the hospital grounds is a place of quiet prayer for patients, families and staff of every faith.
Our mission
To answer the call of Christ by providing holistic, affordable and compassionate healthcare, upholding the dignity, respect and individuality of each patient.
Our vision
A society that is healthy in body, mind and spirit: a centre of excellence in care for the whole person.
Our identity
A Catholic mission hospital continuing the healing ministry of Christ, consistent with Catholic traditions and values, open to all.
Our core values
SMILES: the values that guide us
These six values shape our strategic decisions, our interactions with patients and partners, and the culture of our hospital.
- S
Service
We put the interests of our patients and stakeholders first, offering not just treatment but emotional and spiritual support.
- M
Mindfulness
We show care for the patient, their family, the community and the environment, attentive to each person's unique needs.
- I
Integrity
We are honest, impartial and trustworthy, from patient confidentiality to transparent billing, across every ethnicity and faith.
- L
Leadership & Professionalism
We inspire our staff, stakeholders and community towards common goals through professional conduct and visionary leadership.
- E
Excellence
We pursue continuous improvement in patient care, research and administration, measured by outcomes and patient satisfaction.
- S
Synergy
We work together across departments, specialties and institutions so that every aspect of a patient's wellbeing is addressed.
Our story
Milestones on the journey
1963
Founded as Thika Maternity Hospital
Established by the Holy Rosary Sisters from Ireland in the first years of Kenya's independence, to serve farm labourers and families across central Kenya who had little access to medical care. Demand from expectant mothers soon led to a maternity wing and wards.
1960s – 1980s
A school of enrolled midwives
The Sisters opened a nursing school that graduated enrolled midwives every year, helping to reduce maternal and newborn deaths across the region. Some of today's staff trained there, and the hospital intends to revive nursing education.
1994
A fully-fledged general hospital
The Irish Sisters handed the hospital to the Archdiocese of Nairobi. Managed by the Daughters of Divine Love, it was upgraded to a general hospital with 62 beds, and in 1998 it took its present name, Mary Help of the Sick Mission Hospital.
25 March 2011
The SMMI Sisters take charge
The Archdiocese invited the Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate from India to manage the hospital. The agreement was signed after an inaugural Mass concelebrated by Bishop David Kamau.
2016 – 2017
A new chapter of growth
A new outpatient department brought consultation, ultrasound, X-ray and dental services under one roof, and a revised strategy set the hospital on a decade of expansion.
2018 – 2020
New departments and a renewed inpatient wing
Physiotherapy and optical services opened, followed by the first male ward and endoscopy. In 2020 the inpatient department was transformed with a modern kitchen, renovated postnatal, newborn, labour and paediatric wards and a new theatre.
2022
Two operating theatres and a renal unit
Two state-of-the-art operating theatres doubled surgical capacity, and the Renal Unit began providing dialysis close to home.
2023
Laparoscopic surgery introduced
Keyhole surgery brought faster recovery to patients, alongside private rooms, a high dependency unit and expanded rehabilitation services.
March 2025
The Mother and Child Centre opens
Archbishop Philip Anyolo opened the Mother and Child Centre and a Speech Therapy Unit, bringing antenatal, postnatal, immunisation and child health services together in one purpose-built wing.
Today and beyond
Building the next decade
Plans include growing clinical research collaboration, the Mary Help College of Nursing and Clinical Medicine, and, in time, a comprehensive cancer centre and intensive care unit so that advanced care is available right here in Thika.
Community
Rooted in Thika, reaching beyond
From blood drives and health education to outreach in surrounding communities and our satellite health centre at St Cyril Mukuyu-ini in Gatundu North, our care extends far beyond our gates.
Need care today?
Book an appointment, ask a question or simply come in. Our outpatient and emergency departments are open every hour of every day.