All hospitals across the country have been ordered to immediately update their bed capacities with the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC), following a new directive from the Ministry of Health aimed at ensuring proper patient care and accountability under the Social Health Authority (SHA).

The directive comes shortly after the ministry cautioned healthcare facilities against admitting more patients than they can handle, stressing that hospitals must align admissions with their actual bed and infrastructural capacity.

Facilities that ignore the directive risk being denied their monthly SHA claims.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, in a statement issued on Monday, June 14, after meeting with the Chief Executive Officers of national referral and teaching hospitals, said the update must follow SHA’s bed capacity access regulations.

He instructed hospital heads to urgently increase the number of beds in their facilities to eliminate situations where patients are forced to sleep on the floor or share beds, which he described as unacceptable.

“You are directed to procure additional beds without delay and ensure timely availability. I will provide the necessary support. Every Kenyan deserves to receive care with dignity,” Duale said.

Duale added that the move is part of efforts to improve the quality of care and restore dignity in hospitals.

“We must work constructively to build strong institutions, enhance service delivery, and shape the future of health for generations to come,” he said.

The Cabinet Secretary also emphasized the need for collaboration between hospital management boards and the Ministry to address the legal, financial, and operational issues that continue to affect service delivery in many hospitals.

He stated that strengthening hospital regulations is essential for the smooth implementation of SHA and the realisation of the country’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) targets.

In another statement issued on Tuesday, July 8, Duale said hospitals that want to accommodate more patients must expand their infrastructure before doing so.

"You can't have three or more people share one bed, and then you go ahead to submit false claims on SHA. I have even had conversations with some major referral hospitals, such as the Kenyatta National Hospital, where I have asked that if they want to admit more patients, they should purchase more beds," Duale said.

"The dignity of patients is very important to me because there is no way some people will sleep on the floor and others on the beds, [or patients] who are total strangers and don't even have the same disease [share a bed]. I want to assure you that this will not happen under my watch," he added.

Meanwhile, KMPDC confirmed on Friday, June 13, that it had closed down 728 health facilities and downgraded 301 others after finding them non-compliant with licensing and operational requirements.

The affected facilities, located in counties such as Mandera, Nairobi, Wajir, Kisii, and Nyamira, were found to be operating without proper licenses or had failed to meet critical infrastructure standards.

"These inspections are guided by The Inspections and Licensing Rules, 2022, developed under the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act (CAP 253). The rules provide a robust framework for regulating healthcare facilities and ensuring compliance with ethical and professional standards," KMPDC said.