The Ministry of Health has directed all healthcare facilities in the country to get in touch with the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) and update their actual bed capacity.
The directive comes days after the ministry cautioned hospitals against overadmitting patients, emphasising that hospitals should admit patients only depending on their bed and infrastructural capacity.
The ministry had warned that hospitals that contravene the order would face severe repercussions, including not receiving the monthly Social Health Authority (SHA) claims.
In a statement on Monday, June 14, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, who held a meeting with the Chief Executive Officers of Kenya’s National Teaching and Referral Hospitals, stressed that the update should be in line with the SHA’s bed capacity access rules.
The CS directed the hospital heads to ensure that they acquire additional beds in their facilities to prevent undesirable conditions such as patients sleeping on the floor or sharing beds.
Duale asserted that the directive not only aims to streamline healthcare service provision in these hospitals but also restore dignity in the facilities.
“You are directed to procure additional beds without delay and ensure timely availability. I will provide the necessary support. Every Kenyan deserves to receive care with dignity,” Duale said.
“We must work constructively to build strong institutions, enhance service delivery, and shape the future of health for generations to come,” he stated.
The CS further called for a collective effort between the hospital boards, management, and the Ministry to resolve legal, operational, and funding challenges, which have been a key challenge in hospitals' operations in the country.
Duale affirmed that the reinforced operational regulations on hospitals will also be critical in the seamless rollout of SHA and the achievement of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goal
In his directive on Tuesday, July 8, the CS said that if a hospital desires to admit more patients, it will also be required to expand its infrastructural capacity.
"You can't have three or more people share one bed, and then you go ahead to submit false claims on SHA. I have even had conversations with some major referral hospitals, such as the Kenyatta National Hospital, where I have asked that if they want to admit more patients, they should purchase more beds," Duale said.
"The dignity of patients is very important to me because there is no way some people will sleep on the floor and others on the beds, [or patients]who are total strangers and don't even have the same disease [share a bed]. I want to assure you that this will not happen under my watch," he added.
KMPDC, in a statement on Friday, June 13, confirmed that it had shut down 728 health facilities across the country and downgraded 301 more, which were found to be non-compliant.
According to the council, the facilities, drawn from Mandera, Nairobi, Wajir, Kisii, and Nyamira counties, had either failed to adhere to licensing rules to meet critical infrastructure and operational requirements.
"These inspections are guided by The Inspections and Licensing Rules, 2022, developed under the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act (CAP 253). The rules provide a robust framework for regulating healthcare facilities and ensuring compliance with ethical and professional standards," KMPDC said.
