NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) is facing an unprecedented influx of patients following the ongoing doctors’ strike in Kiambu and Nairobi counties, forcing staff to operate under immense strain as hundreds flock to the facility seeking medical care.
In a statement on Monday, KNH revealed that its departments, particularly the Maternity and Newborn Units, are now handling more than double their normal patient load.
“The Maternity Department has been hardest hit, with the Labour Ward and Newborn Unit now handling more than twice their normal capacity.
Sadly, some of the mothers and babies are arriving too late, and a few have had poor health outcomes despite the best efforts of our dedicated medical teams,” the hospital said.
The surge has put immense pressure on essential services, including operating theatres, the blood bank, and diagnostic units.
KNH management assured the public that its medical teams are working tirelessly to attend to every patient despite the overwhelming demand. “We continue to do everything possible to save lives under these difficult circumstances, but resources are stretched to the limit,” the statement added.
The hospital urged striking doctors to return to work to help ease the growing crisis. “We appeal to all healthcare professionals currently on strike to resume duty and help protect the lives of patients who urgently need medical attention,” KNH noted.
Meanwhile, Murang’a Level 5 Hospital has also reported a massive surge in patient numbers following recent expansions in the county’s health infrastructure.
The facility, which has a full bed capacity of 500, is now handling up to 2,000 outpatients and 500 inpatients daily, a record high that has tested its operational limits.
According to a statement from the Murang’a County Department of Health, the increase reflects growing public confidence in the facility but also exposes critical staffing shortages. “This surge, while a testament to improved confidence in our system, demands immediate and strategic action,” the statement read.
To cope, the hospital has implemented emergency measures, including recalling staff on leave, reorganizing emergency personnel to improve response times, deploying marshals to manage patient flow, and opening new wards to expand bed capacity.
It has also linked up with Level 4 hospitals across the county to redistribute non-critical cases and ensure 24-hour lab and radiology services remain operational.
Despite these interventions, officials admit that staffing and resources remain the biggest challenges, underscoring the widening strain on Kenya’s public healthcare system amid ongoing industrial unrest.
