KNH Admits To SHA System Failure After Angry Patients Storm Afya House

The Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has confirmed that there was an issue regarding the Social Health Authority (SHA) system which led to delays in patient care at the medical facility. This is after several patients defied the odds and stormed Afya House in Nairobi, disrupting a press briefing by Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa.

In an official statement by the hospital's Chief Executive Officer Evanson Kamuri on Wednesday evening, January 15, KNH revealed that the lapse led to a paralysis of medical services for over 48 hours but assured that the system had been rectified.

"Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) wishes to acknowledge a slight lapse in patient care today and reassure the public that the Social Health Authority (SHA) system is now fully operational and aligned with the KNH system. Normal operations have resumed, and patients are being attended to," stated KNH in part.

"The recent system downtime experienced over the last two days temporarily disrupted some services, causing delays in patient clearance and administrative processes. We deeply regret the inconvenience this may have caused to our patients and their families."

The hospital went on to reveal remedial steps it would take to avoid a repeat of the same. 

To address the backlog caused by the downtime and expedite service delivery, additional personnel have been deployed across all affected departments with extended working hours.

"KNH is fully committed to ensuring that all pending cases are resolved promptly and efficiently. KNH remains steadfast in its mission to provide specialized, high-quality healthcare services to all our patients," added the statement

"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused during this period and thank our patients and the public for their understanding and patience. As Kenya's leading referral hospital, we are dedicated to upholding the highest standards of care and professionalism."

This statement came after several KNH patients bypassed security and stormed a room inside the Ministry of Health headquarters where the presser was taking place. The visibly angry patients demanded answers over uncertainties and bureaucracies they have been subjected to over the use of SHA.

The patients, including a new mother and her infant, voiced their anger at the scheme, arguing that its inefficiency left them stranded. They also lamented that efforts to seek answers from the officials at the offices failed to bear fruit and called on the government to immediately intervene. 

Among the patients who stormed the press briefing was a mother to a 3-day-old baby, who had just undergone a caesarian section surgery and could not be processed to leave the hospital.

"We are not the only ones who have come, several others are waiting for us at the gate. We have walked into the offices of NHIF, the ICT department and all other offices on these floors. They are not helping us," shouted one visibly angered patient. 

"They have resorted to just making us go in circles knowing very well that if you go to a certain office where they have referred you, then there is no amount of help you would get," added another patient, who was holding her baby.

The patients detailed to the CS that at some point, some of the people who had been frustrating them referred them to Principal Secretary of Medical Services Harry Kimtai. "We have walked all the way from Kenyatta because of this thing called SHA, can you tell the truth to Kenyans," another patient added in full glare of the cameras.

It remains to be seen how they got word of the presser, whose invite we learnt was circulated within Kenyan media circles as well as how they got the exact location within the building, despite being heavily guarded.