Duale issues firm orders to end trend of patients sleeping on the floor
By William Muthama, July 14, 2025Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has directed all national teaching and referral hospitals to update their actual bed capacity with the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC), in line with Social Health Authority (SHA) requirements.
Speaking on Monday, July 14, 2025, after hosting chief executive officers of Kenya’s national teaching and referral hospitals, Duale said the move is aimed at enhancing coordination and improving service delivery across the referral system.
The directive is also expected to bring to an end the trend of some patients being forced to sleep on the floor due to a lack of enough beds.
“I reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to uphold patient dignity, quality care, and efficiency in all public health facilities,” the CS said.
Bed capacity audit
The Ministry has enforced the SHA bed capacity rule, requiring hospitals’ bed numbers to match the records held by KMPDC.
Duale noted that this alignment is necessary to avoid service disruptions and ensure fair resource allocation.
“I directed strict enforcement of the Social Health Authority (SHA) bed capacity rule, ensuring that hospitals’ actual bed numbers match those recorded by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC),” he said.
Ending undignified care
He raised concern about ongoing reports of patients being forced to sleep on hospital floors or share beds, describing it as unacceptable and a practice that must end.
“I also raised concern over patients sleeping on floors or sharing beds, an unacceptable practice that must end,” said Duale, who reaffirmed that all patients deserve dignified care.
To improve training and academic standards, Duale also instructed hospital CEOs to formalise partnerships with teaching institutions.
“I directed the formalisation of partnerships with teaching institutions through structured Memoranda of Understanding to uphold training and academic standards,” he said
He urged hospital leaders to prioritise ethical governance and accountability in service delivery.
“Hospital leaders must ensure ethical governance, prudent resource use and public-interest decision-making,” the CS stated.
Crackdown on non-compliance
The Ministry of Health had earlier confirmed that it had shut down 728 health facilities across the country and downgraded 301 more for non-compliance.
The affected facilities, drawn from Mandera, Nairobi, Wajir, Kisii, and Nyamira counties, reportedly failed to meet critical infrastructure and licensing requirements.