CS Duale during the launch of the refurbished wards at KNH on Thursday. Photo/Enos Teche

Kenyatta National Hospital will stop serving patients who walk in without referrals, except in emergencies, under a new government policy aimed at making the facility focus on specialised treatment.

Health CS Aden Duale said the Ministry of Health is preparing guidelines requiring patients to seek care at lower-level hospitals before being referred to KNH for advanced treatment.

“KNH must be a referral hospital and KNH must not be a first point of call. Not everybody should walk to the hospital,” Duale said on Thursday during the handover of refurbished wards at the hospital.

The proposed policy would direct patients to hospitals according to the seriousness of their illnesses and the level of treatment they need. Those who can be treated at county hospitals should receive care there, while patients requiring specialised services would be referred to KNH.

Duale said the ministry had prepared a draft policy but challenged officials to speed up its completion so it could be approved and implemented.

“We have a draft. They keep on telling me, this time we have a policy draft,” he said. “When will this draft become a document that can be taken to Cabinet, that can be taken to Parliament, that can be implemented by the board and the management of Kenyatta?”

The CS said delays in making health policy decisions could affect patients who need treatment.

“Every decision made in the healthcare ecosystem of any country, including our country, you are delaying the care of a patient. People can wait for a road to be built, but they cannot wait for care to be delivered,” he said.

Duale said the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre and the SHA 922 Lifeline were helping coordinate emergency referrals to ensure patients reach hospitals equipped to manage their conditions.

“If that patient requires Level 4, take him to Level 4. If the patient requires Level 6, you take him to Level 6. If the condition of the patient requires that he must come to Kenyatta, then bring him to Kenyatta,” he said.

The government also plans to improve the sharing of patients' medical information between hospitals through digital systems. This would allow doctors at referral hospitals to access clinical information before patients arrive, helping them to prepare for treatment.

However, Duale did not explain how the proposed rules will be enforced or how patients arriving at KNH without referrals will be handled outside emergencies.

The policy's success will also depend on whether lower-level hospitals have enough doctors, nurses, medicines and equipment to treat patients safely. Patients may continue travelling to Nairobi if they cannot get the care they need in their home counties.

Duale said the government is working to improve KNH's management and facilities, arguing that the hospital had the medical skills needed to provide high-quality care but required effective leadership and better systems.

The CS said the government wants KNH to become a leading centre for specialised healthcare, research and medical training in Kenya and the region.

He urged the hospital's management to maintain the standards of renovated facilities and ensure that investments in buildings and equipment improve patient care.

The remarks were made during the handover of refurbished wards under KNH's Adopt-a-Ward Initiative, which brings together the government, private companies and other partners to improve hospital facilities.

Co-operative Bank contributed Sh100 million towards the refurbishment and equipping of three orthopaedic wards, including 96 beds and medical equipment.

The Nakumatt Molo Fire Victims Fund also supported ward improvements, while Prime Bank and other partners have pledged additional support.

KNH is preparing to mark 125 years of service, with further renovations planned to improve its facilities.

The hospital receives patients from all 47 counties, including people who need treatment that may not be available elsewhere.

The Ministry of Health has yet to announce when the proposed referral policy will be finalised or implemented.