Crisis at the Frontlines: Nairobi Hospitals Overwhelmed Amid Protest Violence

Medical staff report surge in trauma cases, emergency wards stretched beyond capacity as unrest escalates

Nairobi, Kenya – The spiraling political unrest in Kenya has now taken a devastating toll on the nation’s health infrastructure. Emergency rooms at Kenyatta National Hospital and several clinics in Kangemi are overwhelmed with trauma cases—many of them victims of gunshot wounds and tear gas exposure sustained during the ongoing protests.

Healthcare workers describe scenes of chaos and despair, with facilities struggling to cope amid limited resources and staff fatigue. The city’s fragile healthcare system is being pushed to the brink, with doctors and nurses working around the clock in what they now describe as “a humanitarian crisis in motion.”

In a chilling report, Reuters has confirmed that some hospitals have also faced threats of looting, exposing both patients and medical personnel to additional danger. This has triggered heightened security concerns at critical health centers already under siege by surging demand.

“This level of violence is unacceptable,” stated a coalition of national health associations in a joint release on Tuesday. “The safety of our patients and frontline workers cannot be collateral damage in political unrest.”

Multiple emergency surgeries have been suspended due to restricted mobility caused by police blockades across several city routes. Ambulances have been delayed or turned back, and many healthcare workers are reportedly stranded or forced to navigate dangerous alternate routes just to reach their duty stations.

The situation in Nairobi’s hospitals underscores the deep human cost of the crisis—a cost that continues to rise with every day of inaction. Medical officials and civil society groups are now urgently calling for a national ceasefire, demanding that all parties prioritize humanitarian access and de-escalation.

As protests continue to unfold across the country, the suffering inside Kenya’s hospitals paints a grim and urgent picture: without immediate intervention and peaceful resolution, the cost of this unrest will be borne in blood and broken systems.