Imagine going to the hospital with hope only to leave with the wrong treatment or expired drugs. That’s the reality for many Kenyans today.
In 2018, a tragic case shook Kenya when Baby Joy, a newborn at a Nairobi hospital, was misdiagnosed with pneumonia. Despite showing signs of a rare congenital heart defect, doctors treated her for the wrong illness.
By the time the correct diagnosis was made, Baby Joy’s condition had worsened drastically. Her parents spoke out about how the delay and misdiagnosis nearly cost their daughter her life.
She’s not alone.
According to the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), 29% of malaria diagnoses in Kenya are false positives. This means doctors may treat nearly one in three patients for an illness they don’t have. As a result, real conditions go untreated, causing suffering or even death.
Expired drugs also pose a major risk. Some hospitals dispense medicine past its expiry date. These drugs may be ineffective or harmful. Patients trust hospitals to provide safe and proper care. When patients lose trust, hospitals put lives at risk.
Medical errors are not always due to bad intentions. Many health workers face heavy workloads, low pay, and limited training. Kenya’s doctor-to-patient ratio remains below the World Health Organization’s recommended levels. Overcrowded hospitals and limited resources make accurate diagnosis harder.
The government underfunds laboratory services. Some clinics rely on outdated equipment or skip essential tests. Some health workers guess or assume test results, leading to false diagnoses. Without proper testing, even skilled doctors can make errors.
The question remains: Who is to blame – practitioners or patients?
The problem lies mostly with the system. We should hold health workers accountable, but we must also support them.
Proper training, regular supervision, and updated equipment are essential. The government must also enforce stricter control of drug supply chains to stop expired drugs from reaching patients.
Patients, too, must remain alert. Always ask questions. Request test results. Check expiry dates on medicine. Your health is your right, protect it.
Medical bodies like the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) should do more. Regular inspections, strict penalties, and clear reporting channels can help improve standards.
Technology can also help. Electronic records, digital lab systems, and AI-based diagnostics reduce human error. Some counties have started using mobile health platforms to reach remote patients safely.
Health is not a privilege, it’s a basic right. Every Kenyan deserves quality, safe, and accurate medical care. Misdiagnosis and expired drugs should never be part of the system.
The Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUMLO) estimates that approximately 30% of patients in Kenya receive incorrect diagnoses or treatments. This issue is notably prevalent in HIV, tuberculosis, and H. pylori cases, often due to substandard rapid test kits and inadequate training of laboratory personnel.
To fix this crisis, Kenya needs urgent reforms, stronger accountability, and a better-equipped workforce. Until then, many patients remain at risk not from illness, but from the very system meant to heal them.
