Kenyatta Hospital Board sued over plan to construct private wing

The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentist Union (KMPDU) has sued the Kenyatta National Hospital Board and the Health Cabinet Secretary over decision to construct a private wing.

The union argues that the project has been undertaken without any public participation yet Kenyatta Hospital is a public institution.

In October this year, the KNH Board revealed that it will put up a Ksh.15 billion seven-storey private hospital to fund public services in the parent institution.

In a public notice, the Board said that the 300-bed facility that will stand on 3.6 hectares  of land will be developed under a design, construct, equip, finance, operate and maintain model within the next five years.

However, in the legal dispute that has now been filed in court, the Union argues that there is no goodwill over the said project saying that it is tainted with illegalities and irregularities.

According to the union, the project will amount to privatization of public health care in Kenya and that it will negatively affect the right to Kenyans to attain healthcare as guaranteed under the constitution.

“The project will lead to discrimination in the provision of health at KNH as the private hospital will be more equipped and staffed for profit to the detriment of the Kenyatta National Referral Hospital,”reads the petition.

The union now wants the court to issue conservatory orders directing the respondents from continuing with the project pending hearing and determination of the case.