Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has issued new, far-reaching directives to all national referral hospitals in Kenya in the wake of two shocking patient murders at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
His orders come as part of an emergency response aimed at improving hospital security, restoring public confidence in the health system, and preventing similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
Speaking on Monday, July 28, during a visit to KNH—the site of both murder incidents—CS Duale announced a set of immediate reforms. He made it clear that all national referral hospitals must implement the new measures without delay or face serious consequences.
Among the directives are the mandatory installation of functional CCTV cameras throughout hospital facilities, especially in patient wards and common areas.
Hospitals must also enforce strict visiting rules, limiting visitors to only two per patient at any given time. Every visitor will now be subjected to thorough screening upon entry to enhance safety.
To improve hospital oversight and accountability, Duale instructed the implementation of anonymous feedback systems, allowing patients and visitors to report concerns discreetly.
In addition, hospital staff will undergo enhanced training on patient rights, safety protocols, and how to identify and manage vulnerable individuals who may be at risk.
Duale also emphasized the importance of collaboration between hospitals and government authorities, including the Ministry of Interior, local chiefs, and community elders, to offer support to abandoned or homeless patients.
These efforts will include tracing patients’ families, ensuring dignified discharge procedures, and, where reintegration into families isn’t possible, placing individuals in care facilities or shelters.
These actions appear to have been triggered by the troubling background of the murder suspect, who reportedly had no known family or place to stay and had remained in the hospital for an extended period despite no longer needing medical care.
During the press briefing at KNH, Duale confirmed that he had already convened a meeting with all CEOs of national referral hospitals to assess existing security weaknesses and agree on urgent reforms. “Our Ministry has a duty to protect the lives, dignity, and rights of every patient.
We are taking firm and swift steps to ensure that such a horrifying incident never happens again,” he said.
One of the recent murder victims, Edward Maingi Ndegwa, had been admitted to Ward 7B on July 11, 2025. He was found dead inside the ward on Thursday, July 17, after visiting hours had ended.
According to KNH CEO Dr. William Sigilai, a nurse had last checked on him around 11:30 a.m. to take his blood pressure. At 12:30 p.m., a relative visited and left at 1:30 p.m. after finding him stable. The body was discovered shortly after 2:00 p.m.
Following this latest tragedy, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) launched an urgent manhunt, leading to the arrest of a suspect who was also a patient at the facility.
Investigators believe the same suspect may be responsible for the earlier murder of Gilbert Kinyua, who was killed in Ward 7C on the night of February 6–7, 2025.
The suspect is currently in police custody as DCI detectives continue to gather evidence and piece together the timeline of the attacks.
The two murders have raised serious questions about hospital security and patient welfare in Kenya’s major public health facilities. In response, CS Duale, along with key healthcare leaders like Dr. Oluga, are working to roll out reforms aimed at turning the tide and rebuilding public faith in the system.
The Ministry of Health has pledged to closely monitor the implementation of the new policies and ensure that every referral hospital nationwide prioritizes patient protection, safety, and dignity moving forward.
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