Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has issued an apology after a parent raised concerns about the discharge process in Surgical Ward 4C, describing the hospital’s response as “unacceptable” and not reflective of its standard of care.
The hospital confirmed that the patient has since been discharged and that reimbursement to the family has been initiated.
This follows a parent’s complaint on social media detailing a frustrating ordeal while trying to have this child discharged.
According to the complaint, a SHA officer responsible for discharges “was very rude, corrupt, and abusive,” allegedly ignoring the queue and prioritizing people she knew personally.
“I’ve been here since yesterday, yet she just walks out, brings in others, processes them fast, and leaves the rest of us stranded,” the parent said.
When the parent questioned this apparent favoritism, the officer allegedly became angry, banged the office door, and demanded an apology letter stamped by the area Chief before allowing the discharge.
“I never insulted her or caused a scene, I only questioned her favoritism and suspicious behavior. My baby was being held at KNH just because I refused to bow to corruption and humiliation,” the parent said, appealing for intervention.
In response, KNH Acting Chief Executive Officer Dr. Richard Lesiyampe acknowledged the complaint and expressed regret over the incident.
“We wish to sincerely and unreservedly apologize to the affected family for the immense frustration and distress caused. The reported conduct is unacceptable and does not represent the values or the standard of care we are committed to providing at KNH,” he said.
He confirmed that disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against the officer in question, in line with the hospital’s HR policies.
Dr. Lesiyampe also confirmed that reimbursement to the affected family has begun. “We reiterate our commitment to upholding the highest levels of integrity, fairness, and compassion for all our patients and their families,” he added.
The incident highlights ongoing challenges in patient care at Kenya’s largest public hospital. KNH has pledged to take corrective measures to ensure similar situations do not happen in the future and to strengthen procedures in handling patient discharges.
