Kenyans Speak Out as State Pushes New Healthcare Safety Law
At the centre of the conversation is a powerful new authority—an independent body proposed to regulate, license, and inspect every health facility across the country.
Ministry of Health unveils Quality of Care Bill, 2025, as Kenyans demand safer, accountable healthcare across 47 counties. Photo/Ministry of Health.
By Robert Assad
The Ministry of Health today unveiled the Quality of Care and Patient Safety Bill, 2025, in a public participation forum that brought raw emotion and long-overdue accountability to the forefront.
The draft law, which is undergoing scrutiny across all 47 counties this week, seeks to confront a troubling reality: too many Kenyans are suffering in the very hospitals meant to heal them.
At the centre of the conversation is a powerful new authority—an independent body proposed to regulate, license, and inspect every health facility across the country.
It will enforce national care standards, safeguard patients’ rights, and introduce a nationwide quality rating system to make healthcare institutions more transparent and accountable.
But for many in the room, today wasn’t about policies on paper. It was personal.“I lost my daughter during childbirth because the nurse on duty had disappeared,” said Rose Muthoni, a tearful mother from Kandara. “No one was held responsible. No apology. Nothing. If this law had existed then, maybe she would still be alive.”
Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, who led the session, listened keenly, sometimes taking notes as ordinary citizens narrated their anguish.
She described the Bill as a bold step toward dignified and people-centred healthcare.“This legislation is not just about rules—it is about protecting lives,” she said. “Patients deserve to be treated with respect, and facilities must be held to account. Gross negligence will no longer be swept under the rug.”
The proposed law doesn’t mince words. It includes hefty penalties, with provisions for compensation of up to KSh 50 million in cases of gross malpractice or negligence.
It also aims to establish clear standards for patient care and routine inspections of both public and private health institutions.But it wasn’t all pain and anger.
The forum also carried stories of hope and resilience.“I’ve seen what good care looks like,” said Julius Mwangi, a boda boda rider who survived a serious crash last year. “I was lucky to land at a well-equipped mission hospital. This law should make that kind of care the standard—not the exception.”
As the meeting came to a close, there was a quiet sense of unity. Participants queued to drop written submissions into a wooden box, many sharing that this was the first time their voices felt heard in matters of national health.
From Kwale to Turkana, similar forums are being held this week as Kenya tries to rewrite the story of its healthcare system—one that has too often been marred by corruption, incompetence, and neglect.
If passed, the Quality of Care and Patient Safety Bill, 2025 could become a watershed moment in Kenya’s healthcare history. For many like Rose, it is too late for their loved ones.
But they hope that their stories, their pain, and their courage will save others—and finally force a system to care as much as it promises to heal.
Have you or your family experienced medical negligence? The Ministry of Health encourages Kenyans to participate in the ongoing public consultations. Visit your county health offices for scheduled forums this week.
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