The Ministry of Health has ordered all national referral hospitals to submit full security and operational audit reports within seven days following recent security breaches at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and ongoing concerns about public health facility management. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale issued the directive Monday during a closed-door meeting in Nairobi with chief executives of national referral hospitals. The session was attended by Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr. Ouma Oluga and Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth among senior stakeholders in the health docket.
The meeting followed reports of unauthorized access and operational breakdowns at KNH, Kenya’s public hospital, raising serious questions about patient and staff safety. “Hospitals must develop or update crisis communication plans to ensure timely, transparent responses during emergencies,” CS Duale said during the meeting
Each referral hospital is now required to provide a detailed report identifying current security and administrative weaknesses, the corrective steps already taken, and urgent actions still needed. CS Duale warned that public confidence in the country’s health system is weakening, stating that “systemic weaknesses demand immediate attention.”
To address security vulnerabilities, the Ministry of Health will coordinate with the Ministry of Interior to strengthen cooperation between hospitals and local security agencies. Beyond safety concerns, Duale cited growing dissatisfaction with the quality of patient care and internal discipline in public hospitals. “Hospital leadership bears a non-delegable responsibility to safeguard patients and staff while ensuring smooth, accountable operations,” CS Duale emphasized.
CEOs were reminded that institutional discipline, staff accountability, and consistent communication with the public are core duties that cannot be delegated or ignored. The Ministry also expects referral hospitals to make measurable improvements. Duale said government support will continue but must be matched with responsibility and visible results.
“Leadership at the facility level must actively drive these partnerships. While the Ministry remains committed to supporting referral hospitals, this support must be matched by accountability and clear, measurable progress,” CS duale said.
This directive comes amid ongoing reports of mismanagement in some facilities, ranging from understaffing and long queues to alleged misconduct by medical personnel. The Ministry has not specified penalties for failure to comply but has made clear that hospital leadership will be held directly responsible.
Each facility must now act swiftly to complete its internal review and file its report to the Ministry before the deadline lapses. The findings are expected to guide immediate reforms and resource allocation for the struggling health sector.
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