Nairobi Hospital leadership standoff leaves hundreds of patients stranded

Nairobi Hospital, the country’s leading private healthcare institution, is facing a major crisis as a leadership power struggle threatens to bring it to its knees.

The supremacy battle within the hospital’s management, coupled with the withdrawal of coverage by more than ten top insurance firms over a rate review, has left hundreds of patients stranded and all the hospital’s satellite facilities deserted. 

A spot check conducted across four of Nairobi Hospital’s five satellite centers including Galleria in Karen, Warwick Outpatient Centre in Runda, Roselyne Riviera, and the main headquarters on Agwings Kodhek Road, reveals a troubling picture: a private healthcare giant battling for survival, near-empty corridors, skeletal staff, and a noticeable drop in patient traffic, as those with means transfer their patients from the wards.

The fallout is severe. Hundreds of patients, many in critical condition or with scheduled procedures, now stranded.

Expectant mothers due to deliver within days face the grim reality of paying out of pocket or being urgently transferred to other hospitals.

Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy are among the most hit. With treatment plans disrupted, many are now forced to shoulder huge costs of treatment or delay care.

Outpatients have been turned away at billing desks, some resorting to borrowing money just to attend follow-up appointments.

In a bid to de-escalate the standoff, Nairobi Hospital has temporarily reviewed the prices downwards.

However, the insurance companies have remained adamant; coverage remains suspended, and insurers continue to redirect their clients to alternative facilities.

Medics within the facility are reportedly referring patients elsewhere, particularly those slated for surgeries or deliveries. The internal strain is palpable.

Negotiations between Nairobi Hospital and the insurers continue behind closed doors. However, no clear timeline has been provided for when coverage might resume, leaving patients, staff, and stakeholders in a state of uncertainty.

But the crisis notwithstanding, the boardroom wars have intensified, with two warring factions continuing to lock horns.

Two conflicting letters have emerged, both claiming to represent the hospital’s board; one from Dr. Barcley Onyambu and the other from Herman Manyora, each asserting authority as Chairperson of the board of management.

In the letters, Manyora accuses CEO Felix Osano and company secretary Gilbert Nyamweya of unilaterally increasing patient charges by up to 61% without board consent.

Onyambu, in turn, dismisses Manyora’s legitimacy and accuses him of corruption, including soliciting bribes from hospital suppliers.

With no end in sight over the boardroom wars, the hospital has now gone to court to seeks help in making changes on management board.