Kenya's largest referral hospital is in the throes of a severe crisis, grappling with a dire lack of essential supplies that has compromised patient care and safety. An investigation has uncovered alarming shortages of critical blood test reagents, vital drugs, and even adequate food for patients at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), a facility that serves as the cornerstone of healthcare for East and Central Africa.

The shortages are not just a matter of inconvenience; they are a direct threat to life. The lack of reagents means crucial diagnostic tests cannot be performed, leaving doctors to treat patients based on symptoms alone. This systemic failure is reportedly linked to a National Treasury directive that has choked the hospital of necessary operational funds, endangering hundreds of lives. This financial strangulation persists despite the hospital collecting between KES 40 million and KES 60 million daily from patients and being owed approximately KES 1.58 billion by the Social Health Authority (SHA).

A System in Collapse

The crisis at KNH is a symptom of a much wider malaise within Kenya's public health system. For months, concerns have been escalating over deteriorating safety standards, failing medical equipment, and severe operational gaps at the facility. In September 2025, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah raised alarm in the Senate, demanding the Ministry of Health address why services like CT scans, dialysis, and radiotherapy were frequently unavailable. The dire situation has forced many Kenyans who depend on public healthcare to seek costly alternatives at private facilities.

The problems extend beyond supplies and equipment. The hospital faces immense pressure from factors including:

• Overcrowding: Wards are reportedly congested and poorly ventilated, creating unhygienic conditions for already vulnerable patients.
• Security Failures: A troubling lack of security has been highlighted by reports of two murders within the hospital wards in the six months leading up to September 2025, creating a climate of fear.
• Staffing Issues: Health worker strikes in neighboring counties have pushed KNH to the brink, stretching its resources and staff to their absolute limits.

Leadership and Accountability Under Fire

The deteriorating conditions have placed the hospital's leadership and the Ministry of Health under intense scrutiny. Following serious security breaches, including a patient's murder in July 2025, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced a series of reforms aimed at restoring public trust. These measures included stricter access controls, enhanced CCTV surveillance, and better protocols for handling abandoned patients. However, persistent equipment failures and supply shortages suggest these interventions have not addressed the root causes of the crisis.

Financial mismanagement has also been flagged as a critical issue. A recent report from the Auditor General revealed that KNH lost a staggering KES 678.4 million through poorly negotiated contracts and underfunded government health programmes. Stalled multi-billion shilling projects, including a crucial paediatric emergency center and a medical oxygen plant, further underscore the deep-seated challenges in governance and project management.

As KNH struggles to fulfill its mandate, thousands of Kenyan families are left to bear the true cost. They face the impossible choice of paying for private care they cannot afford or risking the dangerously compromised services at the nation's most important public hospital. The question that remains is whether decisive action will be taken to save KNH before it collapses entirely, taking the health of a nation with it.