Kenyan TikTokers want to build a new hospital, Ksh.100 bob at a time

As Kenyans on TikTok continue doing exploits and dominating conversations offline, a new venture is in the offing; a TikTok-sponsored community hospital purely constructed through billions raised on the video-sharing platform.

The conversation, which started off as an idle whisper, soon caught fire and saw notable TikTok heavyweights join in, as other TikTokers warmed up to the idea, many sharing divergent opinions on how the idea could come to fruition.

According to several participants in the whole idea, there is an urgent need to construct a physical community hospital that shall serve the nation at large, but whose basis is the TikTok community.

The proposed facility, dubbed the ‘TikTok Community Hospital,’ aims to provide free, specialised medical care, including cancer treatment, heart disease services, and general healthcare, in response to ongoing challenges in the national health system.

The fantasy hospital, set to gobble up billions, is also meant to serve patients free of charge, with the upkeep costs being met by the generosity of Kenyans on TikTok and the ever-present spirit of fundraising.

Even though no tangible steps have been put in place to actualise the idea, and no official fundraiser has been started yet, TikTok is awash with videos, AI-generated concept images of the hospital, and messages of support from creators who won't stop breaking down the concept and breathing life into it. 

Users are now calling on Kenya’s estimated 10 million TikTokers to “do what the government can’t” and “build hope where systems have failed.”

Others have floated a suggestion - every single TikTok user can simply donate as little as Ksh.100 and, given their Math, this could easily translate to Ksh.1 billion, enough for the grand medical centre. 

The campaign appears to be fueled by public frustration over high medical costs, medicine shortages, disruptions caused by prolonged doctor strikes, SHA problems, inept county governments and the general spirit of TikTok proactiveness.

However, while the idea seems plausible - even doable - it quickly meets several stumbling blocks which include construction costs, the goodwill of Kenyans, administrative challenges, logistical support and government bureaucracy.

Raising a billion shillings, even a hundred million shillings, many have agreed, is not something that can easily be pulled off.

Some also compared this movement to the Hanifa Adan-led medical fundraiser during the height of the Gen Z demonstrations in 2024, which, after all the massive hype and universal drive, managed to barely raise Ksh.30 million - not a mean feat, by itself.

"It's easy to propose an idea and hard to implement it. It sounds workable on paper but a lot needs to be done to realise this dream. I'm all for the idea but it is practically impossible to raise that much money through small-time donations," Ruth Kadenge, a TikTok user said.

"Only way this can be possible is through the inclusion of corporates, wealthy donors, the international community and private business people. Raising a hundred bob per head cannot sustain even a local kindergarten for long."

‘Tiktok Community Hospital’ didn't start from the blue - the initiative was bolstered by the recent story of Kaluma Boy, the Nyeri-based 17-year-old male TikToker youngster captured the hearts of many after he used the platform to share heart-wrenching videos documenting the struggles of his father, who suffered from a stroke.

The online community's unprecedented generosity in raising funds for Kaluma’s father served as a proof-of-concept, demonstrating the immense power of digital mobilization for humanitarian causes. 

Kaluma Boy's story, which resonated with many young Kenyans also struggling to take care of their ailing parents or relatives, struck a chord with the TikTok community, and eventually birthed the desire for a people-driven medical facility.

Already, the government - or its appendages - appear to have taken notice.

Speaking on Wednesday, October 1, during the TikTok content creators’ workshop at Glee Hotel in Kiambu County, the Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy Coordination, Dennis Itumbi, termed the move a brilliant idea, adding that such initiatives were welcomed.

Itumbi noted that the initiative was in line with the government's ambition to offer free and affordable healthcare to all Kenyans.

"That is a brilliant idea, Kenyans have created hospitals in this country through offerings, that is why we have faith-based hospitals. President Ruto is also overseeing the construction of 70 hospitals by the KDF," Itumbi stated.

He added: "So if TikTokers can organise themselves and build another hospital, then it is brilliant. Such initiatives are welcomed, and that is a very brilliant idea."

Fueled by a confluence of systemic failures and profound human stories, digital champions still seem to believe in the functionality of the concept - even though, in reality, pulling it off might not be a walk in the park.

While raising the initial capital for construction and equipment could somehow be achieved, the greater challenge lies in ensuring long-term sustainability; hospitals have immense monthly operational costs, including staff salaries (doctors, nurses, specialists), utility bills, and the constant purchase of drugs and consumables. 

Critics have also questioned how a facility aspiring to offer free or near-free services will cover these recurrent costs without a consistent, reliable revenue stream.

All in all, the ‘TikTok Community Hospital’ stands as a powerful symbol of Kenyan digital communities continuously evolving into agents of change, using the internet not just for entertainment and idle banter but for nation-building, bettering the society and impacting lives in a grander scale.