The Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has reported a sharp rise in patient numbers as the doctors’ strike in Kiambu County continues to strain health services across the region.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, October 8, acting CEO Dr. Richard Lesiyampe said the referral hospital has been receiving a surge of patients from both Kiambu and Nairobi counties seeking urgent treatment, particularly maternity cases.
“The hospital has seen a steep increase in the number of very sick patients, many arriving in critical condition,” said Dr. Lesiyampe. “The Maternity Department has been hardest hit, with the Labour Ward and Newborn Unit now handling more than twice their normal capacity.”
He added that some mothers and babies had arrived too late to be saved, despite the efforts of KNH’s medical teams.
The crisis has also stretched other key departments, including the operating theatres, blood bank, and diagnostic services, as the facility struggles to accommodate patients who would ordinarily receive care in Kiambu hospitals.
Despite the growing pressure, Dr. Lesiyampe assured the public that KNH remains committed to offering care to all patients. He appealed to both county and national authorities to resolve the strike to relieve pressure on the country’s largest referral hospital.
“We urge all parties involved in the ongoing industrial action to resolve their differences quickly. Restoring normal operations in Kiambu and Nairobi hospitals will ease the pressure on KNH and ensure patients get care closer to their homes,” he said.
The statement came just days after the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) claimed that at least 136 babies had died since the Kiambu strike began more than four months ago figures that the county government has since disputed.
Kiambu County Health Officer Patrick Nyagah dismissed the union’s numbers as “alarmist,” saying they were meant to exaggerate the crisis.
Doctors in Kiambu downed their tools on May 26, citing poor working conditions and unpaid dues.
The county has since redeployed its 697 medical interns to other counties in an effort to maintain services.
