Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), the country’s largest referral facility, is grappling with a sharp influx of patients as a doctors’ strike cripples health services in Nairobi and Kiambu.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Dr Richard Lesiyampe said the hospital is under “unprecedented pressure,” with wards overflowing and critical departments stretched beyond capacity.
“The Maternity Department has been hardest hit, with the Labour Ward and Newborn Unit now handling more than twice their normal capacity,” Dr Lesiyampe told reporters on Wednesday.
He said medical teams were working around the clock to manage the surge but warned that both staff and resources were “stretched to the limit.”
“KNH remains committed to caring for all who come through our doors,” he added. “We continue to do everything possible to save lives under these difficult circumstances.”
Dr Lesiyampe noted that some mothers and infants were arriving too late to receive adequate care, leading to “poor outcomes despite the best efforts” of hospital staff.
The strain is not limited to maternity wards. Operating theatres, the blood bank, and diagnostic units are also feeling the weight of the crisis, hospital officials said.
A Crisis Years in the Making
The strike in Kiambu County has dragged on for more than four months. This week, doctors in Nairobi joined their colleagues, paralysing services across two of Kenya’s most populous counties.
At the heart of the dispute are delayed salaries, what doctors describe as poor working conditions, and the failure of county governments to honour a Collective Bargaining Agreement signed with the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU).
The medics have vowed to stay off duty until their demands are met.
“We are fighting for accountability, dignified working conditions, and quality healthcare for all Kenyans,” said KMPDU Secretary General Dr Davji Atellah in a statement.
On Tuesday, the union postponed a planned demonstration in Kiambu from Wednesday, 8 October, to Monday, 13 October, saying the delay would allow for “broader participation and stronger coordination.”
Community Appeals for Dialogue
The Ndenderu Ward United, a community-based organisation in Kiambu, has appealed to Governor Kimani Wamatangi to urgently mediate between the county government and the striking doctors.
“We now kindly appeal to your office to intervene and facilitate constructive dialogue between the county government, KMPDU, and other stakeholders,” said Chairman John Mweha.
The group warned that the prolonged standoff risks undoing recent gains in the county’s healthcare system.
Despite such appeals, talks between the union and county officials remain deadlocked. With no end in sight, KNH continues to bear the burden—its corridors crowded, staff exhausted, and patients waiting for care that once was readily available closer to home.
About the Author
