KNH Apologizes, Initiates Disciplinary Action After Father’s Viral Plea Over “Held” Baby

Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has issued a public apology and initiated disciplinary proceedings against a staff member, following a viral social media complaint by a father who alleged his infant was being unlawfully held over a refused apology letter.

The incident came to light after Kinoti Joseph took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) with a desperate plea for help. In his post, he detailed a harrowing ordeal at the hospital’s Surgical Ward 4C, where he had been waiting since the previous day to have his child discharged.

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Joseph accused the SHA (Senior House Officer) clearance officer in the 4D office of being “rude, corrupt, and abusive.” He claimed the officer was ignoring the queue, selectively attending to people she knew, and leaving other families stranded.

“The officer keeps ignoring the queue and only attends to people she personally calls aside,” Joseph wrote. “When I politely told her that what she was doing was unfair, she got angry, banged her office door, and later called me in.”

According to his account, the officer then imposed a fine of Ksh 2,070 for an alleged one-day overstay, which he promptly paid. However, upon his return, he was met with a new demand.

“She said she wouldn’t discharge my baby unless I wrote an apology letter to her, stamped by the area Chief,” Joseph stated. “I never insulted her or caused a scene… Right now, my baby is being held at KNH just because I refused to bow to corruption and humiliation.”

Hospital Responds with Apology and Action

In response to the growing public outcry, KNH released an official press statement signed by its Ag. Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Richard Lesiyampe.

The hospital “acknowledges the serious concern raised regarding the discharge process in Surgical Ward 4C” and offered a “sincere and unreserved” apology to the affected family for the “immense frustration and distress caused.”

“The reported conduct is unacceptable and does not represent the values or the standard of care we are committed to providing at KNH,” the statement read.

The hospital confirmed it had taken “immediate and decisive action,” revealing that “disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against the KNH officer in question, who is part of the team handling SHA clearance, in accordance with our HR policy.”

Dr. Lesiyampe also confirmed that the central issues had been resolved: “The patient has since been discharged. In addition, the reimbursement to the family has been initiated.”

The hospital concluded by reiterating its “commitment to upholding the highest levels of integrity, fairness, and compassion for all our patients and their families.”

The swift response from KNH has been met with a mix of appreciation for the action taken and continued debate about the need for systemic reform to prevent such incidents from recurring.

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