Brief History

Tenwek Hospital Cont.

The history of Tenwek Hospital dates back to 1937 when WGM sent Trudy Shyrock to serve as the first trained nurse. Later on in 1959, Dr. Ernie Steury and his wife arrived to serve as the first missionary doctor and to assist Trudy with the medical functions. The adventures of Dr. Steury, popularly known as ‘Mosonik’, have been documented in a beautiful book titled the Miracle at Tenwek. The book documents in detail how God used men like you and me to serve the sick and how Dr. Steury set the foundation blocks for what would grow to become a thought leader in the Kenyan medical sector.

We recognize that our history would be non-existent without World Gospel Mission, the Africa Gospel Church and the Tenwek community. The three have been a support pillar for the hospital and have stood with us through the good and the bad. Here is a detailed step by step overview of our history that dates back to 1935.

1935

1937

1949

1959

1966

1969

1971

1973

1975

1981

1983

1985

1987

1991

1995

1997

2004

2005

2007

2011

1935

1.Colonial government awards Mr. Hotchkiss with land and he gives this to WGM
2.WGM sends Robert & Catherine Smith to Tenwek

1937

WGM send the Tenwek Station the first trained nurse – Gertrude Shyrock

1949

1.Light plant arrived- donated by McNeal family
2.Extra plot granted for building the hospital
3.The chapel was the first permanent building established

1959

1.Dr. Ernie Steury & his wife Sue arrive at Tenwek
2.The clinic had grown into a hospital
3.Approval for expanding the hospital building was granted and construction commenced. This was completed in 1962

1966

Former President Daniel Arap Moi visited Kaboson and broke ground for the new 8- bed ward

1969

Dr. Bob Wesche joins Dr. Steury at Tenwek

1971

Daily business operations had picked up resulting in the need for a hospital Administrator. Rev. Ezekiel Kerich was sent for training in Nairobi

1973

1.Mr. Edwin Kirui and his wife Sarah settle in West Pokot
2.First Tenwek medical outreach ministry established at Chepnyal

1975

Rev. David Kilel takes over as a full-time chaplain

1981

1.Franklin Graham raises funds for a new building through World Medical Mission
2.Construction of the Johana Ng’etich Medical Center commences & the ward is opened in 1985

1983

Community Health Program was set up by nurse Susan Carter and Dr. David Stevens

1985

1.Barbra pinkly completes her schooling and becomes the first Registered Community Health Nurse in Kenya
2.She works with Dr. Mary Hermiz to establish a School of Nursing at Tenwek

1987

1.Tenwek School of Nursing is opened
2.Construction of the hydroelectric station is completed

1991

We began training chaplains for hospitals, military & prison services through the L. Nelson Bell Chaplains School

1995

Medical internship programme is established

1997

ASHA (American Schools and Hospitals Abroad) completes construction of twin buildings that now house a laboratory, canteen, wound ward and support services

2004

Family Medicine Department is established

2005

A new operating theater and medical education buildings are completed thanks to generous donations from Samaritan’s Purse and numerous private donors.

2007

1.We began General Surgery Residency Training Program
2.Our parners were College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS), and Moi University.

2011

The hospital unveils a new CT scanner donated by Toshiba