KNH breaks silence after turning away cancer patients over faulty equipment
Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has confirmed a breakdown of its primary cancer treatment machine following growing public concern, after a local television report revealed that patients had been turned away due to a lack of functioning radiotherapy services.
The hospital released a statement on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, hours after Citizen TV aired a segment showing cancer patients left stranded, unable to access care following the malfunction of the hospital’s only operational Linear Accelerator (LINAC) machine.
In its official statement titled “KENYATTA NATIONAL HOSPITAL ON LINEAR ACCELERATOR MACHINE BREAKDOWN”, the hospital acknowledged the failure and outlined ongoing efforts to mitigate the disruption.
“Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) wishes to inform the public that our Linear Accelerator (LINAC) Elekta machine, a vital piece of equipment in the treatment of cancer patients, has experienced an unexpected technical failure and is currently out of service,” the statement read.
The LINAC machine is critical for modern radiotherapy treatment, and its breakdown left a section of patients without access to essential care. The statement did not specify how many patients were affected but emphasized that the hospital had taken immediate steps to manage the situation.
“We recognize the critical importance of uninterrupted oncology services, and we immediately activated referral protocols to safeguard patient care.”
In an effort to offer some relief, KNH reported progress in restoring a secondary radiotherapy unit:
“KNH is also pleased to inform the public that the Cobalt radiotherapy machine, which had previously broken down, has now been fully restored and is operational.”
The hospital added that the process of acquiring a new LINAC machine had been expedited and was nearing completion:
“The procurement of a new LINAC machine has been fast-tracked through the appropriate tendering channels and is now at a very advanced stage. This will help us in fully restoring our oncology services in the shortest time possible.”
In conclusion, KNH reiterated its commitment to patient care:
“We remain fully committed to delivering world-class, compassionate care. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our patients and stakeholders, and we will continue to provide regular updates as progress is made.”
The statement was signed by Dr. William Sigilai, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Kenyatta National Hospital.
While the hospital has promised updates and restoration of full services, questions remain over contingency planning and the broader state of cancer care infrastructure in Kenya.
The Citizen TV coverage exposed the plight of a handful of cancer patients who had been turned away from KNH after the hospital’s only functional radiotherapy machine broke down.
”I am suffering from stage four cervical cancer, and I have been told to go home and come back on Tuesday because the machine has broken down,” a cancer patient told journalists.
Author
Martin Oduor
The alchemist of literary works - a master wordsmith with a proven record of transforming the raw materials of language into a rich tapestry of emotion, thought, and imagination.
View all posts by Martin Oduor
