Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has announced the extension of the county’s Baba Care free medical services to November, following a significant increase in the number of patients seeking treatment at public health facilities.

Speaking during the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Mama Ngina Waterfront in Mombasa, Nassir said the growing number of patients visiting county hospitals demonstrates the strong demand for the free medical programme, prompting the county government to extend the services beyond October.

“The number of patients coming to our hospitals has gone up significantly, and this shows that our people really want this free medical service. This is why we have decided to extend Baba Care in our county medical facilities to November, instead of ending it in October,” Nassir said.

The governor added that the county government had also installed additional medical equipment in its health facilities to strengthen service delivery and improve hospitals’ capacity to handle the growing number of patients benefiting from the programme.

"We have also put in place more equipment in our facilities to help in this,” he said.

The additional equipment is expected to complement the extension of the free medical services by enhancing the capacity of county hospitals to respond to the increasing demand for healthcare.

The extension of Baba Care reflects the county government’s efforts to expand access to healthcare and ease the financial burden of medical expenses on households, particularly residents who face challenges accessing affordable treatment.

Nassir said the decision to extend the programme was informed by the public response to the initiative and the need to ensure residents continue benefiting from free medical services as the county works to improve healthcare delivery.