KNH SHA officer corruption delays baby discharge in a shocking case that’s ignited fury across social media, leaving a desperate father trapped in Surgical Ward 4C with her infant held hostage over a bizarre demand for a chief-stamped apology.
Kinoti Joseph, the parent at the centre of the storm, went viral Thursday with a raw plea detailing how a Social Health Authority (SHA) staffer allegedly skipped queues, slapped on fines, and weaponised paperwork to punish him for speaking up.
The post, amassing over 4,000 likes and thousands of shares in under 24 hours, has prompted a swift apology from Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), but no resolution yet, as calls for probes mount.
Joseph’s ordeal began Wednesday, when she queued for hours to finalise her child’s release after surgery.
“The SHA officer handling discharges at the 4D office is very rude, corrupt, and abusive,” she wrote in her X thread, tagging top officials from President Ruto to Health CS.
Instead of first-come service, the officer purportedly favoured “people she seems to know”, whisking them ahead while Joseph and others languished.
Frustrated but composed, Joseph raised the issue politely, only to face backlash: a slammed door, a summoned confrontation, and a KSh 2,070 fine for an “extra day” stay post-discharge.
She paid up promptly at the Malipo Center, but the saga twisted further. Back at the office, the officer refused to proceed without a handwritten apology letter, endorsed by the local chief no less.
“I never insulted her or caused a scene; I only questioned her favouritism and suspicious behaviour,” Joseph clarified, her words resonating with parents who’ve whispered similar tales in hospital corridors.
Now, with his baby still bed-bound, he begs for intervention: “This is unfair, and no parent should go through this kind of frustration when their child is in hospital.”
KNH’s official X account fired off a response by Friday morning, owning the mishap without naming names. “We acknowledge your concern raised regarding the discharge process in Surgical Ward 4C. We wish to sincerely apologise for the immense frustration and distress caused. This conduct does not represent our values or the standard of care we strive to provide,” the hospital posted, thanking Joseph for the alert and promising internal action.
Yet, as of midday, Joseph reports no movement, her thread swelling with support from netizens like comedian Njugush, who quipped, “Abebelezwe afanye kazi yake. Nani discharge mtoto? Sasa Mzazi ata enda kazi juu ya ku feelings SHA official? Civil servants na kiburi wueh!”
SHA, the Ruto administration’s health insurance revamp meant to replace the creaky NHIF, has stumbled into its own pitfalls since rollout. Critics slam opaque payments and favouritism, with a recent ministry registry takedown fuelling claims of hidden mismanagement.
One whistleblower recounted SHA covering a mere KSh 18,000 of a KSh 320,000 KNH bill, calling it “pain… apart from corruption.”
Broader audits reveal billions syphoned through ghost suppliers and kickbacks, eroding trust in a system already strained by 2024’s doctor strikes.
Public outrage boils over on platforms like Facebook, where Joseph’s story ricocheted anonymously, drawing parallels to a Sh3.6 million swindle by a KNH official earlier this year.
“SHA is actually working, but not all. I don’t think it is the only thing we should use to evaluate Ruto,” one user posted, but Joseph’s case flips that script, highlighting how petty power plays amplify systemic woes.
As evening shadows lengthen over KNH’s bustling gates, Joseph’s vigil continues, a poignant standoff in a ward meant for healing.
