KNH grilled over non-functional Sh453 million oxygen facility

Kenyan lawmakers are demanding answers from Kenyatta National Hospital after discovering that a KSh453 million oxygen plant has remained completely idle despite the facility spending around KSh600 million every year on oxygen supplies.

Members of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Health, led by Seme MP James Nyikal, visited the hospital and expressed shock that the fully installed plant has never become operational.

Medical engineer Patrick Chepkonga explained that the equipment supplied did not match the original design specifications. While the plant was supposed to produce 8,000 litres of oxygen per minute, it only generated 3,000 litres during testing and failed to achieve the required purity levels.

“It is not operational, it is not functional and it is not producing any oxygen. The truth is, Kenyatta National Hospital does not have an oxygen plant,” Nyikal said.

The committee scrutinised the entire procurement process, from design and tendering to payment. Lawmakers questioned why the discrepancies were not detected earlier.

Questions over contractor payments

Vice-chair Patrick Munene and Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge pressed officials on whether the contractor had been paid and how much. The engineer confirmed that a substantial amount had already been disbursed.

Kenyatta National Hospital acting chief executive officer Dr Richard Lesiyampe told the committee that approximately 700 patients require oxygen support daily. He assured members there was no shortage, as the hospital purchases oxygen commercially and sometimes sources supplies from Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital and Mwai Kibaki Hospital.

Nyikal said the committee would follow up with the Ministry of Health and other agencies to establish accountability.

The inspection also revealed challenges in cancer treatment services. One radiotherapy machine has been out of service for 60 days. Additionally, a linear accelerator that was allocated KSh450 million in the 2023/24 financial year and KSh600 million in the current budget is yet to be procured.

Lesiyampe said procurement was underway and delivery was expected soon. He noted that the hospital previously treated about 100 patients daily with the machine but is now managing only 50 using an alternative unit.

The committee also found severe congestion in the maternity wing. A unit designed for 30 to 40 beds is currently accommodating more than 90 patients, largely due to the ongoing health workers’ strike in Nairobi County. Weekly deliveries have jumped from around 200 to over 400.

This case has highlighted broader concerns about project supervision and value for money in Kenya’s public health infrastructure.