NAIROBI, Kenya — Cancer patients at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) are facing worsening conditions amid delays in treatment and equipment breakdowns, even as attention shifts to governance disputes at Nairobi Hospital, raising concerns over national healthcare priorities.
According to recent findings, a key radiotherapy machine at KNH has been non-functional for more than three months, leaving patients unable to access critical cancer treatment and forcing many to wait as their conditions deteriorate.
KNH, Kenya’s largest referral hospital serving thousands of patients across the region, plays a central role in public cancer care, particularly for low-income patients who rely on subsidised treatment.
However, the prolonged equipment failure has exposed systemic challenges in maintaining essential oncology services within public facilities.
The situation has sparked concern among health stakeholders, who argue that while patients at KNH struggle with limited access to treatment, government attention has been disproportionately directed toward administrative and boardroom issues at Nairobi Hospital, a private facility.
Health experts warn that delays in radiotherapy can significantly reduce survival chances, especially for advanced-stage cancer patients who require consistent treatment schedules.
The crisis also highlights broader structural gaps in Kenya’s healthcare system, including underinvestment in public hospitals, maintenance failures, and reliance on a limited number of specialised cancer treatment centres.
Kenya continues to grapple with a growing cancer burden, with tens of thousands of new cases diagnosed annually, placing increasing pressure on existing infrastructure and personnel.
While the government has in recent years expanded cancer care facilities and increased coverage under national health programmes, access remains uneven, particularly for patients dependent on public hospitals.
Critics say the KNH situation underscores the urgent need to prioritise functional infrastructure, timely maintenance of medical equipment, and efficient allocation of resources within the public health sector.
The developments come at a time when Kenya is pursuing universal health coverage reforms, including the rollout of new financing mechanisms under the Social Health Authority, which are intended to improve access to specialised care such as oncology.
However, ongoing service disruptions at key referral hospitals risk undermining these efforts, raising questions about implementation gaps and the State’s ability to deliver equitable healthcare.
As pressure mounts, stakeholders are calling for immediate intervention to restore services at KNH and ensure that cancer patients receive uninterrupted treatment, warning that continued delays could lead to preventable deaths.
