Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan has urged Lions SightFirst Eye Hospital to ensure the cost of treatment does not put specialised eye care beyond the reach of ordinary Kenyans, calling for affordable services and expanded outreach to low-income communities.
Speaking as the hospital’s Eastleigh branch marked its first anniversary on Saturday, October 17, 2026, Yusuf praised the facility for bringing treatment closer to residents and warned that losing sight can have serious social and economic consequences.
Yusuf said the opening of the branch had eased access to specialised eye care for residents who previously had to travel to the hospital’s main facility in Loresho. He urged the management to maintain its services and continue reaching more people in Eastleigh and neighbouring areas.
The MP also praised the area's development, saying improvements in roads, infrastructure and security had helped Eastleigh grow into a major commercial centre attracting businesses and people from different communities.
“I am glad to welcome you here at a period, at a time when our roads are better, our infrastructure is better, we have a safer and secure neighbourhood. I am glad that the Lions Eye Hospital has chosen this neighbourhood as one of its world-class medical centres, and I am sure you will benefit from it,” Yusuf said.
He said access to specialised eye treatment was particularly important because vision loss could affect a person's ability to work, interact with others and carry out daily activities.
To illustrate the value of treatment, Hassan recalled his father's experience with an eye condition, saying he had taken him to South Africa for care while working at the United Nations. He said the treatment helped restore his father's ability to read the Quran, highlighting the difference access to medical services could make to a person's life.
“I would say that for my community, losing sight is almost certainly like a social and economic death sentence. I remember my father had an eye problem. We didn't have those facilities at that time. I was working in South Africa at the United Nations, and I took him there. His eyes were opened up, and he was able to read the Quran,” The MP said.
Yusuf expressed hope that the Eastleigh branch would continue attracting patients from surrounding neighbourhoods, including the densely populated Eastlands area.
He also pledged his support for the hospital's continued presence in the area, expressing hope that it would celebrate more anniversaries while providing accessible treatment to the community.
Eastleigh Business Community Secretary General Omar Ibrahim Hussein welcomed the facility, saying it had brought specialised eye services closer to residents, particularly women and children who might struggle to travel to Loresho.
Hussein said the branch had helped address a gap in local healthcare provision and encouraged residents to take advantage of the screening and treatment services available.
“For us as a business community and our members, it is a service brought closer to us, and we thank the management for putting a world-class Level Four eye clinic in Eastleigh. Many in our community, especially our mothers and children, cannot go to where your main branch is in Loresho. So when you brought the service closer to us, we said Lions was welcome,” Hussein said.
He called on the hospital to assist patients who cannot afford treatment and organise medical camps in nearby low-income settlements to reach more people in need of care.
Hussein said extending services to disadvantaged residents, including those living in neighbouring informal settlements, would give more people an opportunity to access eye examinations and treatment.
California Ward MCA Hashim Kamau also praised the hospital for establishing a branch in the area, saying its presence had reduced transport costs for residents seeking eye care.
Kamau said the facility had made a difference to families in the ward, particularly mothers and schoolchildren who previously faced challenges travelling to access specialised services.
“One year ago, you brought that gift to California, its relocation to our doorstep. This has been one year of quality, compassion and care for our people, for our mothers and our schoolchildren. As neighbours, this year, California Ward has felt this impact. You have served our people, you have saved our people transport costs, and you have saved sight,” Kamau said.
The MCA pledged continued cooperation with the hospital in community outreach and health awareness programmes, saying the partnership could help more residents benefit from available services.
The first-anniversary celebrations brought together hospital leaders, medical professionals, business representatives and local leaders, who highlighted the importance of making specialised eye care accessible to the wider community.
The speakers called for continued cooperation between healthcare providers and local communities to expand access to treatment, encourage early screening and ensure that financial challenges do not prevent residents from seeking medical attention.