Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced sweeping reforms in the country’s referral hospital system following the murder of a patient at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) on Friday, July 11.
In a statement issued on Monday, July 28, Duale said the Ministry of Health had launched immediate measures to improve security and accountability in public hospitals, following a crisis meeting with CEOs of national referral facilities.
“Following the tragic loss of a young Kenyan at Kenyatta National Hospital, I convened a crisis meeting with the CEOs of all national referral hospitals to initiate urgent reforms and rebuild public trust in our health system,” Duale stated.
Among the key reforms is the introduction of stricter security protocols across all national referral hospitals. Effective immediately, hospitals will limit the number of visitors per patient to two and enforce mandatory screening at all entry points.
“This follows concerns raised by hospital leadership, underscoring a shared priority: patient safety is non-negotiable,” said the CS.
Beyond security, Duale announced a nationwide rollout of a quality assurance programme. The initiative includes regular patient safety rounds, robust systems for escalating complaints, and anonymous feedback mechanisms to promote transparency and responsiveness in hospital management.
“We are also rolling out a nationwide quality assurance protocol that includes regular patient safety rounds, stronger complaint escalation systems, and anonymous feedback tools,” Duale said. “Ongoing staff training on patient rights and safety will be a priority.”
He further warned that any form of negligence uncovered during investigations or audits would be met with firm disciplinary action.
“Where negligence is found, decisive action will follow. We must protect patient dignity and ensure such a tragedy never recurs,” he said.
Duale also touched on the growing concern of patients being abandoned in public hospitals. He noted that the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Interior, and community leaders will collaborate to trace families and ensure vulnerable individuals are discharged with dignity and placed in proper care.
“Additionally, hospitals will work with the Ministry of Interior and community leaders to trace families of abandoned patients, support dignified discharges, and place vulnerable individuals in proper care,” he added.
The reforms mark a critical turning point in efforts to improve public health care standards and restore confidence in Kenya’s national referral hospitals.
