Nairobi Hospital moves to reassure insurers after pricing saga

The Nairobi Hospital has announced the suspension of its recent price adjustments following consultations with key insurance partners, who had initially withdrawn their services, leaving patients stranded.

The hospital explained that the price changes on some medical products and services were necessary due to rising costs of both imported and local medical supplies.

However, the facility has also been embroiled in publicized boardroom disputes. Despite this, the hospital assures the public that these conflicts will not affect service delivery.

Once hailed as a beacon of medical excellence, the Nairobi Hospital is now embroiled in controversy, facing both operational and leadership challenges.

The facility is battling to calm the storm of its recent price hikes and the subsequent pushback from insurance providers who suspended it from its service provider panels, staging a dramatic pullout that left patients stranded and its hospital corridors deserted.

The hospital has since suspended the price hikes and clarified that recent price adjustments, an average increase of 5% on some medical products and services, were necessary due to rising costs of imported and local medical supplies, saying that the changes followed comprehensive cost analysis and benchmarking against peer institutions.

The hospital emphasized that its tariffs remain competitive and that it continues engaging insurance stakeholders to ensure long-term sustainability.

Samuel Oded, Director of Medical Research and Services at Nairobi Hospital, said: “The hospital wishes to reassure all its patients that the rates remain as were prior to adjustments.”

“We are ready to work with our insurance partners to ensure flawless service to our patients. The Nairobi Hospital wishes to assure the public that we continue to provide care to all patients at the rates and we remain committed to delivering the highest standard of care.”

The hospital has also been battling leadership wrangles, allegations of financial mismanagement, and a reported debt exceeding Ksh.3 billion.

Tensions deepened last month when a letter surfaced claiming the board had voted to remove Dr. Barcley Onyambu as Kenya Hospital Association (KHA) chairperson, with Heman Manyora reportedly voted in unanimously.

The KHA Board of Management swiftly disowned Manyora and warned the public against engaging with him.

This latest twist adds to a string of boardroom disputes and operational challenges threatening to shake the foundation of one of the country’s most iconic private healthcare facilities.

Despite the turmoil, the hospital assures the public that service delivery remains unaffected.

Its focus now is on repairing relationships with insurers, reassuring anxious patients, and safeguarding its reputation as a premier healthcare provider.