Kenya Expands Training for First Responders

Hospitals in Kenya are struggling to cope with a sharp increase in patient numbers as critical health facilities face overwhelming demand. Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has reported an unprecedented surge in patients, largely due to an ongoing strike by health workers in Nairobi
According to KNH’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Richard Lesiyampe, the maternity and newborn units are bearing the brunt of the influx — handling more than double their normal patient load in some cases.
He added that essential services such as operating theatres, the blood bank, and diagnostic labs are being stretched beyond capacity.
The pressure isn’t limited to KNH. Murang’a Level 5 Hospital is also inundated with patients, with more than 2,000 outpatients and 500 inpatients being treated daily — a figure that far exceeds the facility’s typical capacity.
Meanwhile, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) reports that on some days it receives as many as 5,000 patients, despite having only 1,403 beds and a shortage of medical personnel.
Health officials and government representatives are calling for urgent decongestion strategies. Public health leaders suggest that county hospitals should be better equipped to handle less critical cases, reducing the burden on national referral hospitals.
There are also proposals to hire more staff and expand infrastructure to cope with the growing demand.