Senators sound alarm over overcrowding, security lapses at KNH
During a visit to KNH on July 28, Health CS Aden Duale outlined mandatory reforms, including the installation of CCTV cameras, limiting the number of visitors, mandatory visitor screening, and regular safety inspections.
Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) is facing growing concern over declining safety standards and failing healthcare services, prompting calls for immediate intervention.
On Thursday, September 25, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah urged the Senate’s Standing Committee on Health to press the Ministry of Health (MoH) to act decisively to address these urgent issues.
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The senator emphasised that the committee should provide a thorough report on why critical medical services such as CT scans, dialysis, and radiotherapy are either unavailable or malfunctioning.
He also insisted on outlining clear plans for maintaining hospital equipment and holding leadership accountable for lapses in service delivery.
Omtatah highlighted that the hospital’s condition has reached a stage where patients are increasingly being sent to private hospitals for essential care, undermining KNH’s mandate as the national referral centre.
“Kenyatta National Hospital is expected to uphold the highest standards of healthcare, yet its current state is characterised by unhygienic conditions, overcrowded and poorly ventilated wards, long queues at essential service points, inadequate facilities for persons with disabilities, and lax security that has led to two murders within the wards in the last six months,” he said.
The senator called for stronger oversight of hospital management and security personnel, while reinforcing the need for the MoH to collaborate closely with the Social Health Authority to guarantee smooth operations across KNH and other referral facilities nationwide.
These concerns come just two months after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced reforms at KNH following two murders in the hospital over six months.
During a visit to KNH on July 28, Duale outlined mandatory reforms, including the installation of CCTV cameras, limiting the number of visitors, mandatory visitor screening, and regular safety inspections.
Hospitals were also instructed to restrict patient visitors to two at a time, introduce anonymous feedback systems, and provide staff training on patients’ rights and safety.
In addition, hospitals were asked to work closely with the Ministry of Interior, local chiefs, and community leaders to support patients who have been abandoned, ensuring they receive proper care.
Facilities are now responsible for tracing families of abandoned patients, arranging dignified discharges, and placing individuals in appropriate care institutions when reintegration is not possible.
“As a Ministry, we must safeguard the lives, rights, and dignity of all patients. We are committed to ensuring that such a tragedy does not happen again,” said CS Duale.
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