Ladnan Hospital Nairobi shot into the limelight following the dramatic arrest of Grace Mulei, a 61-year-old patient who on January 15 stormed the Ministry of Health offices to protest SHA(Social Health Authority) failures.
Mulei was at the Eastleigh-based hospital seeking treatment when she was accosted by a group of police officers who arrested her for causing a disturbance at the government offices.
The founder of Ladnan Hospital is Dr. Mohamed Abdi Mohamed, who is coincidentally the Chairperson of SHA.
Mohamed is a medical practitioner with an extensive 12-year career, with expertise in the public and private sector. He co-founded the hospital in 2011 and was the CEO until March 2024.
The 50-bed tertiary care center located in Pangani, Nairobi, offers inpatient and outpatient services.
The hospital has a maternity wing, theater, dental, pharmacy, laboratory, radiology unit, renal unit with 5 dialysis machines, and a critical care unit with 5 ICU and 3 HDU beds
Here is Dr Abdi Mohamed’s profile:
Education
Dr Mohamed holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery: MBChB (Medicine) from the University of Nairobi. He also has a Master of Science (MSc) (Health Economics and Policy) degree from the same institution.
Career
Dr. Abdi Mohamed began his medical career in February 2009 at Malindi District Hospital in Kilifi County. During his two-year tenure, he was tasked with assessing patients, developing treatment plans, facilitating in-patient admissions, conducting ward rounds, and performing minor surgeries in collaboration with specialists.
In August 2010, Dr. Abdi joined Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) as a Medical Officer at the Dadaab Refugee Camp. He worked at the humanitarian organization for over two months providing emergency medical assistance while managing the Paediatric Unit.
He was also the Doctor-on-Call for night consultations responding to urgent medical needs in a resource-limited setting, further honing his leadership and clinical skills.
In January 2011, Dr. Abdi co-founded the Ladnan Hospital in Pangani, Nairobi. Also as the CEO, he oversaw the transformation of the hospital from a boutique facility into a 50-bed tertiary care center within four years.
Over 13 years, he managed day-to-day operations, oversaw hospital administration and budgeting, and led the expansion of services, including the launch of dialysis, ICU, and HDU units. Additionally, he spearheaded regional growth by establishing a branch in Wajir to serve the nomadic community in North Eastern Kenya.
Between November 2017 and 2019, Dr. Abdi served as Director and Chief Operations Officer at Metropolitan Hospital, which was formed as as result of a merger between Ladnan Hospital with Metropolitan Hospital.
He held full P&L authority and managed strategic planning of the 150-bed facility. Dr Abdi was the visionary behind various growth initiatives, including the expansion of ICU beds and upgrading the theatre. He also secured equity financing and facilitated a smooth transition to a new private equity fund.
Outside the private sector, Dr. Abdi has held several leadership roles within the Kenya Medical Association. He. chaired the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee from 2016 to March 2024, overseeing complaints against doctors and institutions to ensure professional conduct.
Between 2016 and 2018, he was Convener of the Standing Committee on ICT/CPD, focusing on the association’s ICT and online presence needs.
Prior to that, he was the Convener of the Standing Committee on Managed Healthcare, a role he held for two years between 2014 and 2016. During his tenure, he strengthened relations with payers and developed member-beneficial packages.
Additionally, he chaired the Nairobi Division from 2012 to 2014, providing leadership to promote the association’s mandate.
Dr Abdi also served as National Chair of the Kenya Association of Private Hospitals (KAPH) from September 2016 to March 2024 where he represented small and medium-sized hospitals and clinics.
During this time, he was a vocal advocate for members during negotiations with the now-defunct NHIF and pioneered the establishment of an investment company for pooled procurement of equipment and pharmaceuticals.
Since 2018, Dr. Abdi has been an Independent Director at Villgro Kenya, an early stage business incubator that supports start-ups in the healthcare. In his capacity, he provides oversight on investment deals and guidance to healthcare and life sciences startups.
Since July 2019, he has served as a Trustee of the Takaful Umbrella Fund, the first Shariah-compliant Retirement and Benefits Scheme in East and Central Africa. His role involves overseeing operations and supporting the scheme’s growth and strategic investments.
From January 2020 to February 2023, Dr. Abdi was appointed to represent the private sector on tthe Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council. As a council member, he was involved in ensuring quality and ethical healthcare delivery by regulating training, registration, licensing, inspections, and professional practice.
SHA Chairmanship
In January 2024, Dr. Abdi joined the Social Health Authority (SHA) as an Independent Board Director ,offering strategic oversight to improve health access across the country.
President William Ruto on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, appointed him as the authority’s board Chairman for a three-year term.
