Duale: KNH to focus on specialised care as government plans new referral policy

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced plans to reposition Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) as a specialised referral facility, with patients expected to seek initial treatment at lower-level hospitals before being referred for advanced care.

Duale said the Ministry of Health would develop a policy to guide patient referral pathways and ensure that patients are treated at the appropriate level of the healthcare system.

“KNH must be a referral hospital and KNH must not be a first point of call,” Duale said during the unveiling of refurbished wards at the hospital on Thursday.

He said the proposed changes would see KNH concentrate on specialised treatment, with patients returning to county hospitals for follow-up care whenever clinically appropriate.

The CS said the government was working to improve coordination of emergency referrals through the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre and the SHA-92 line, which he said were helping coordinate referrals across the country.

Under the proposed system, patients would be taken to facilities based on the severity of their conditions and the level of care required, rather than automatically being referred to KNH.

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

He said the Ministry of Health would also work to ensure that patients referred to KNH arrive with their clinical information available digitally, allowing for timely and coordinated treatment.

Duale said the referral policy was still being developed and challenged ministry officials to expedite the process, warning that delays in healthcare decisions could affect patients’ access to treatment.

The announcement came as KNH unveiled four refurbished and fully equipped wards as part of preparations to mark its 125-year legacy.

The renovations form part of efforts to modernise the national referral hospital, which receives patients from across the country requiring specialised medical services.