Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has directed all national referral hospitals to conduct an urgent audit of their emergency response systems, security protocols, and patient monitoring following last week’s shocking murders of two patients at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
Speaking during a press briefing on Monday, Duale described the incident as “unacceptable” and extended condolences to the family of one of the victims, Ndegwa. He assured Kenyans that the government was moving swiftly to restore public confidence in the safety of health facilities.
“We’re improving CCTV coverage in hospitals to ensure all sensitive areas are monitored for accountability,” Duale announced, adding that the Ministry of Health will expand surveillance infrastructure across all major hospitals. He further revealed plans to standardize emergency protocols and enforce professional training for security personnel to safeguard patients.
The CS warned that negligence in handling patients would not be tolerated. “Accountability goes hand in hand with intention, and where negligence is found, action shall be taken,” he stated firmly.
Among the measures announced are anonymous call monitoring systems, stricter patient visitation policies, and mandatory identification for everyone bringing in patients, including police officers. “We will ask all people, including the police who bring in sick patients, to leave their vehicle number plate and ID,” Duale said.
He acknowledged that public trust in referral hospitals had been shaken by the killings but pledged that his ministry would respond “with urgency, clarity, and compassion.”
Duale urged healthcare workers to renew their commitment to the oath of service, treating all patients with “urgency, dignity, and empathy.” The sweeping reforms, he noted, aim to prevent a repeat of the KNH tragedy and reinforce safety across Kenya’s top hospitals.
