Normal operations at KNH resume after system downtime

Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) emergency wing in Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Normal operations at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) have resumed after a two-day system failure disrupted services, causing delays in patient clearance and administrative processes.

The hospital’s Social Health Authority (SHA) system is now fully operational and aligned with the KNH system.

Additional personnel have been deployed across affected departments, with extended working hours to clear the backlog and expedite service delivery.

"We deeply regret the inconvenience this has caused and apologise to our patients and their families," the hospital’s CEO Dr. Evanson Kamuri said on Wednesday, January 15.

 "We remain committed to resolving all pending cases efficiently."

However, frustrations surrounding the new health cover emerged earlier in the week as patients stormed the Ministry of Health offices on Wednesday, demanding the operationalisation of the SHA.

Many patients voiced concerns over the newly rolled-out health cover, which they claimed has not been functioning as intended.

Some expressed frustration over visiting multiple hospital offices and even SHA offices in vain.

Several patients noted that despite making payments to SHA accounts, they were denied services at the hospital, with staff citing system downtime and payment discrepancies in the hospital database as reasons for the denial.

This follows President William Ruto's recent remarks, where he reassured Kenyans that the challenges stemming from the October transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Authority (SHA) would be addressed.

Ruto acknowledged the issues, saying they were the result of the scheme’s scale and ambition.

 “Taifa Care is overcoming technological and operational challenges to ensure that every citizen, regardless of status or means, has access to quality, affordable healthcare,” Ruto said.

“For the record, the scale, boldness, and ambition of Taifa Care are unprecedented, and we are confident that the challenges will be resolved soon.”