Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has called for enhanced leadership and accountability in national referral hospitals, emphasising the need for governance standards that reflect the vital roles these institutions play in delivering quality healthcare.
Speaking during his visit to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), the CS reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the facility’s mandate and addressing any service delivery challenges.
This follows recent public conversations and media coverage highlighting issues at KNH. Duale praised KNH’s decades of leadership in specialised care, citing landmark achievements such as Kenya’s first laparoscopic kidney resection and intrauterine fetal transfusion, as well as the hospital’s groundbreaking role in performing the world’s first transhumeral total shoulder replacement (TSR) surgery.
He noted that such milestones position Kenya as a global leader in medical innovation and underscore the government’s resolve to advance Universal Health Coverage through the Social Health Insurance (SHI) scheme.
During his tour of key departments, including the cancer treatment centre, radiotherapy bunker, and the site of a government-funded oxygen-generating plant under construction, the CS encouraged county governments to continue strengthening their referral and primary healthcare systems to ease patient congestion at KNH.
He further urged development partners to support KNH’s growth in areas such as equipment modernisation, digital transformation, training, and research, noting that the hospital remains a critical hub for tertiary care and health innovation in the country.
The CS was hosted by the KNH leadership team, led by Board Chair Dr. Samier Muravvej and Acting CEO Dr. William Sigilai. He was joined by the Medical Service Principal Secretary, Dr Ouma Okunga, Director General for Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth, and Acting CEO of Kenya’s Digital Health Agency. Eng. Anthony Lenaiyara, alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Health.
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