Mathari Hospital

Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital
Geography
Location	Mathare district, Nairobi, Kenya
Services
Beds	1,500
History
Opened	1901
Links
Website	matharihospital.go.ke

Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital is the only public psychiatric hospital in Kenya. It was founded in 1901 by the colonial authorities of British Kenya. The hospital has a capacity for 1,500 patients and is located near the slum area of Mathare district in Nairobi.

History Mathari Hospital was originally a smallpox isolation center that was redesigned and became the Nairobi Lunatic Asylum. The facilities were segregated, with African patients living in overcrowded bomas and experiencing the worst conditions. Asian patients had slightly better conditions, while Europeans had the best. Until independence, all psychiatrists, senior doctors, and nurses employed at the hospital were European.

Today, Mathari Hospital is a specialized national referral, training, and research institution in mental health. It serves as Kenya's premier psychiatric hospital and is the national psychiatric teaching and referral hospital. The hospital admits patients with severe psychiatric disorders who cannot afford private services and are considered too disturbed to be managed in other public facilities or in the community. Its catchment area includes the Nairobi urban area and its surrounding rural and urban environs.

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