In a move signaling a renewed push for accountability and safety in Kenya’s top public hospitals, the Ministry of Health has given national referral facilities just seven days to submit comprehensive reports detailing their current security frameworks, existing weaknesses, and urgent corrective actions being taken.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale issued the directive on Monday during a closed-door meeting with CEOs of national referral hospitals. The high-level meeting came in the wake of disturbing security incidents at Kenyatta National Hospital, sparking national concern over safety and service quality in key health institutions.
CS Duale didn’t mince his words. He called for “urgent reforms” aimed at rebuilding trust in the public health system, pointing to longstanding structural and operational shortcomings.
“Hospitals must have clear crisis communication plans in place,” he said. “We need transparency and speed during emergencies. No delays, no confusion.”
In a bid to strengthen security protocols, the CS revealed that his ministry will be working closely with the Ministry of Interior to ensure tighter coordination between health facilities and security agencies. This collaboration, he said, is critical to protect patients and frontline health workers from avoidable threats and disruptions.
Present at the meeting were Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr. Ouma Oluga, Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, and top officials from referral hospitals across the country. The gathering also put staff conduct and institutional discipline under the spotlight, with leaders urged to confront rising public dissatisfaction over poor patient handling and workplace culture.
Duale also reminded CEOs that leadership cannot be outsourced.
“The responsibility to ensure safety, order, and professional standards in our hospitals lies squarely with leadership,” he stressed. “It is not transferable.”
The Health Ministry pledged its continued support to hospitals, but Duale made it clear: support must be met with results. Hospital leadership, he added, must take the lead in fostering accountability and partnerships that deliver real impact.
“Support from the national government only makes sense if it’s matched with measurable progress,” the CS concluded. “We expect every hospital leader to step up and deliver.”
