Female health leader embraces International Women's Day call to give

Today is International Women’s Day, celebrated every 8th of March. This year’s theme, Giving to Gain, emphasizes the power of reciprocity and support.

In the spirit of supporting women, one of the most visionary health leaders in the country has embarked on a journey whose single-minded purpose is to reduce the health burden for all women. Salome Chiira, the CEO and founder of Radiant Group of Hospitals, notes that, as a woman, she understands the numerous challenges facing women not only in Kenya but across the world.

Among these challenges are limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, insufficient prevention and treatment for non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and cancer, and high maternal mortality rates.

“We have designed comprehensive female health checks that focus on different priorities,” says Salome.

The trained medic, who has previously shared her story about her difficult journey to the top of the healthcare industry, cannot hide her dedication to women’s healthcare. Her experiences inspired her to establish Radiant Group of Hospitals with four partners, whom she later bought out.

According to Salome, her fellow founders were unable to match her passion for healthcare, leaving her on a lone path to achieve her career goals, chief among them being the delivery of top-notch healthcare services to all people, especially women.

“The goal of Radiant Group of Hospitals is to promote preventive healthcare, early detection of health conditions, and easier access to key women’s health services,” she says. In line with this goal, all hospitals under Salome’s management will mark International Women’s Day by offering a special health screening package to encourage women to prioritize their health.

Answering the call to Give to Gain, Radiant Group of Hospitals will offer a number of health checks, many of them free of charge. These include Blood Pressure (BP) checks, Body Mass Index (BMI) checks, and Physical Breast Examinations to support the early detection of breast health concerns. All checks aim to help women detect potential health risks early and seek treatment and medical advice before it is too late.

At the same time, all Radiant hospitals will offer essential health checks for women at heavily discounted prices. These include Obstetric Ultrasound Scans, offered to celebrate and support expectant mothers while encouraging proper pregnancy monitoring. Other diagnostic services offered at reduced costs include Random Blood Sugar (RBS) tests and Cervical Cancer Screening.

Additionally, the hospitals have reduced the cost of gynecology consultations covering family planning, fertility and pregnancy care, pelvic disorders, menopause management, sexually transmitted infection (STI) management, and menstrual disorder management such as painful or irregular periods.

Asked why she chose to lower or eliminate the cost burden for women seeking medical services, Salome explains:

“Women are the backbone of families, communities, and healthcare systems. Their courage, compassion, and leadership continue to inspire progress. Radiant Hospitals remains dedicated to empowering women through comprehensive, quality, and accessible healthcare services.”

Salome is a prime example of resilience and compassion in women who have risen to the top of the healthcare industry in the country. She became pregnant in her early teenage years and had to drop out of school. Even when the odds were against her, she continued her education up to medical school. Before founding Radiant Group of Hospitals, Salome worked as a vegetable seller and maid. It was only through the support of a Good Samaritan who funded her medical training that her dreams were realized.

Salome hopes that through giving, she will make a difference—not only for the women who directly benefit from the services offered in her hospitals but also for families, communities, the country, and the world. She believes that she, along with the management and staff of Radiant Hospitals in Nairobi and Kiambu, are doing their part in honoring the spirit of giving on International Women’s Day.