Tunyai Medical
Clinic Project
In 2019, the Nazareth Sisters of the Annunciation opened a new dispensary (medical clinic) in the semi-arid rural community of Tunyai, Kenya. The village of Tunyai is home to approximately 15,000 people. The St. Anthony Dispensary opened by the sisters was busy from day one – the sisters were seeing 15 – 25 patients daily (250 – 350 patients monthly). The original dispensary had a tin roof, half-walls, and dirt floors as shown below. In 2022, we began efforts to raise the funds needed to build a better dispensary facility to care for these patients.
Phase 1: Building a Better Clinic to Serve the People of Tunyai
By the end of 2023, money needed to build and equip a new dispensary in Tunyai had been raised. The official groundbreaking and blessing of the construction site occurred on January 2, 2024. Construction of the new dispensary was completed by the fall and furnishings and equipment were added so the dispensary could begin operations by the end of 2024.
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​On January 25, 2025 the beautiful new St. Anthony Dispensary was officially dedicated and blessed by Meru Bishop Salesius Mugambi. The mass and blessing ceremony was wonderful and many members of the Nazareth Sisters of the Annunciation living in Kenya attended. Local officials and large numbers of Tunyai area residents also attended.
Since the official opening of the dispensary in January 2025, the volume of patients being served by the dispensary has increased significantly. Two priorities for 2025 include: First, purchasing a van to serve the needs of the dispensary. The van will be used to transport supplies and to transport the occasional very ill patient who needs to be transferred to the hospital. Second, creating water access at the dispensary site. Drilling a bore hole, installing a solar-powered pump to deliver the water, and erecting an elevated water tower to store up to 20,000 Liters of clean water will meet another major need of the St. Anthony Dispensary.
Picture of the new St. Anthony Dispensary facility dedicated & blessed in January 2025
Waiting Room: there has been a significant increase in patients seeking care at the new St. Anthony Dispensary since it opened in January 2025
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Phase 2: Building a New Short-Stay Hospital to Serve the People of Tunyai
The people of Tunyai desperately need hospital access in addition to the new dispensary. The closest hospital is 15 miles from Tunyai, and transportation is very limited. When patients need hospital care, getting them to the hospital is a problem and it is then impossible for families to visit and assist the patients while they are hospitalized.​
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The Nazareth Sisters of the Annunciation-Kenya Board worked with the same architect and builder who constructed the new dispensary to design a short stay hospital that would meet the needs of the Tunyai community. The design of the hospital and detailed blueprint included below show that it will include 4 pediatric beds, 3 adult male and 3 adult female beds, and a delivery suite and nursery room with several antenatal and postnatal beds. The hospital can be built for approximately $80,000 US dollars. Furnishing and equipping the hospital will additionally cost approximately $50,000 US dollars.
Raising the approximately $130,000 US dollars needed to build and equip the small, short-stay hospital in Tunyai is now the focus of the Nazareth Sisters of the Annunciation-USA Board overseeing the 501c3 organization collecting money for the project.
Design of new Short-Stay Hospital to be constructed in Tunyai, Kenya
Blueprint of new Short-Stay Hospital to be Constructed in Tunyai, Kenya