Duale issues new strict rules for all hospital emergency admissions
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced new stringent protocols aimed at bolstering security in healthcare facilities across the country.
Under the revised guidelines, no patient will be admitted into any hospital emergency unit unless they are accompanied by an identified individual whose ID is presented and officially recorded.
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Addressing a press conference at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) on Monday, July 28, 2025, Duale said that the directive, which applies to all individuals, including police officers, seeks to curb rising concerns over patient abandonment, impersonation, and potential criminal activities within medical institutions.
“As part of enhanced security protocols, all individuals, including police officers, bringing patients to the hospital—particularly to emergency units—will be required to present and have their identification documents recorded,” Duale captioned the video shared via his official X account in the wee hours of Tuesday, July 29, 2025.
Anonymous individuals
The move follows reports of increasing incidents where anonymous individuals drop off patients, some critically ill or injured, without any documentation or accountability.
In certain cases, hospitals have struggled to trace guardians or verify the identities of those being treated, posing ethical, legal, and operational challenges.
“Going forward, no patient will be admitted if dropped off by unidentified or anonymous persons. This policy is critical in safeguarding both patients and healthcare staff and in preventing cases of abandonment, impersonation, or criminal activity within our health facilities,” Duale stated.
Healthcare administrators and security teams have been instructed to enforce the new protocol with immediate effect, and hospitals are expected to update their emergency admission procedures accordingly.
Patients sleeping on the floor
The directive comes weeks after Duale 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 the 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.
