Over 550 cancer patients miss treatment at KU hospital amid staff shortages

A shortage of specialised medical staff at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital has left hundreds of cancer patients without access to a critical radiation service, even after the government invested heavily in a high-tech treatment machine meant to expand care.

Records show that 550 patients missed out on treatment after the hospital’s CyberKnife unit, the only public one in the country, carried out 250 radiation sessions in the year ending June 2025 against a planned 800.

The system, housed at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, is designed to deliver highly focused radiation to tumours in areas such as the brain and spine, especially where surgery is not possible.

Each cancer patient requires about five sessions for a full course, meaning the shortfall translated directly into delayed or missed care. Those affected were pushed to seek costly treatment in private hospitals, travel outside the country, or depend on palliative care when options ran out.

A Ministry of Health review links the disruption to gaps in human resources, although officials say the situation has since been corrected. It states: "Targets were not achieved due to challenges with human resources. Staff have been trained and the service is now fully operational," the report said.

Even with that explanation, performance figures show a wider pattern. Over three financial years ending June 2025, the hospital aimed for 1,450 CyberKnife procedures but only managed 599, leaving a 59 per cent deficit in output.

The CyberKnife machine, launched in 2023 by President William Ruto, cost Sh685 million and was expected to boost cancer treatment capacity in the public sector.

While the equipment is fully installed and paid for, its impact has been slowed by operational constraints tied to staffing.

Budget records also highlight pressure in maintaining specialised personnel. The hospital allocated Sh203 million for contract experts such as radiation oncologists and medical physicists for the 2024/25 year, but internal estimates show this was still below actual staffing needs.

During the same period, KUTRRH required Sh3.998 billion for salaries and benefits but received Sh3.017 billion, leaving a significant gap that affected service delivery.