Nairobi Hospital has distanced itself from members who met President William Ruto, saying the engagement was informal and not authorised by the hospital’s governing structures.
Addressing the media on Thursday, Medical Advisory Committee chair Dr Agnes Gachoki, who also represents the Nairobi Hospital Staff Association, said the hospital operates through structured channels and the five doctors who met the President bypassed these protocols.
“We have a very clear structure of communication from the admitting staff members through their divisions and to the Medical Advisory Committee, and then this information gets to the board. We therefore wish to clarify that these five members of the admitting staff who went to see our patron did not follow the laid-down communication, either externally or even to the board, because this proper structure goes through the Medical Advisory Committee,” she said.
“Therefore, this was an informal meeting. They did not express any formal communication from the hospital or the admitting staff, and there has been no decision or any meeting which has concluded that we should send any representatives to the patron about the hospital.”
Gachoki, however, maintained that operations remain stable, profitable and fully functional, assuring the public, patients and stakeholders that services are uninterrupted and the admitting staff are operating comfortably.
“We therefore wish to advise our customers to continue visiting the hospital as we continue to offer you our services,” she said.
The development comes amid increasing scrutiny over Nairobi Hospital’s leadership, with the government confirming that President Ruto had been briefed and directed transparency in handling governance and financial concerns affecting the facility’s stability.
State House said the intervention followed complaints from stakeholders, including doctors, patients and members of the Kenya Hospital Association, over governance disputes that could affect patient care and institutional operations.
The crisis intensified after the arrest of senior board members on March 14, including Chairman Dr Job Obwaka, Vice Chairman Samson Kinyanjui, Former Chairman Dr Chris Bichange and Director Valery Gaya.
They were later released on a bond of Sh5 million each, facing charges including conflict of interest, withholding financial records, and allegedly receiving unlawful benefits linked to an insurance agency contracted by the hospital.
During the briefing, Board Chair Dr Barcley Onyambu and CEO Felix Osano reaffirmed that Nairobi Hospital is stable and patient care has not been disrupted.
“We want to set the record straight,” Phillip Kisia, hospital director, company secretary and vice-chair of the board of trustees, said, condemning the manner in which some directors were arrested despite a court order.
Osano said the hospital posted Sh12.8 billion in revenue in 2024, with monthly revenue averaging Sh1 billion. He noted a reduction in supplier backlog by Sh230 million since January 2025, no outstanding staff dues and admissions up by over 5 per cent, with bed occupancy currently at about 80 per cent.
The hospital dismissed claims of missing funds, stating that there was no Sh9.1 billion loss, Sh3 billion loss, or Sh4.2 billion loan, and attributed financial pressures to decisions by previous boards, including halted infrastructure projects in 2018, resulting in arbitration awards of Sh800 million and court awards to dismissed staff.
On governance, Onyambu said Nairobi Hospital is owned by the Kenya Hospital Association, and the dispute has been fuelled by interference with internal processes, including last-minute court orders affecting AGMs and restrictions on financial credit.
He reiterated that the 730-member consultant group, chaired by Dr Gachoki, operates under proper governance, and that the five doctors who engaged the patron did not represent the institution.
President Ruto has pledged government action to restore Nairobi Hospital to its status as a leading healthcare institution, warning that no individual or group should “hold it hostage” and urging decisive action against exploitation for personal gain.
State House confirmed the President’s intervention followed petitions from stakeholders concerned about leadership disputes, governance challenges and mounting litigation threatening hospital operations.
Amid ongoing court cases, the hospital has reassured the public that services remain uninterrupted and daily operations are stable. The management emphasised that long-standing governance frameworks, guided by the Kenya Hospital Association’s Articles of Association, continue to oversee accountability and operational processes.
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