The tragic death of Dr Daniel Ndege Chacha, a young and dedicated physician, has ignited public outrage and shed light on the plight of medical trainees in Kenya’s public healthcare system. Dr Chacha, a 37-year-old postgraduate student training in obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Nairobi’s Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) campus, lost his life after being denied urgent medical care at the same facility where he had selflessly treated patients. Despite his unwavering commitment to saving lives, his own need for emergency medical attention was unmet because he lacked medical insurance and was not on the hospital’s payroll.
Dr Chacha’s ordeal began two weeks prior to his death when he fell critically ill and sought care at KNH, the nation’s largest referral hospital. However, due to the absence of an active medical cover, he was turned away. Desperate for help, he visited a local healthcare facility, but the treatment he received there was inadequate and resulted in the deterioration of his condition. By the time he was referred back to KNH, his health had significantly worsened. Upon his return, he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), suffering from acute liver injury that had further impacted his kidneys. Despite being in ICU for a week, he succumbed to the complications on March 17.
Dr Dennis Miskellah, Deputy Secretary General of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU), confirmed that the mismanagement at the local hospital played a key role in the decline of Dr Chacha’s condition. He also revealed that Dr Chacha’s family is now burdened with a hospital bill of approximately Sh300,000, of which the Social Health Authority (SHA) has pledged to cover only Sh30,000. KNH has refused to waive the remaining bill, detaining Dr Chacha’s body until the amount is cleared, despite his service to the institution. The doctor leaves behind an expectant wife, adding further distress to the grieving family.
A KNH official, who chose to remain anonymous, defended the hospital’s stance by explaining that Dr Chacha was a resident doctor and not a formal employee of KNH, asserting that the University of Nairobi was responsible for providing his medical cover. This explanation has fueled debate over the responsibilities of institutions involved in training medical professionals and has drawn criticism from healthcare workers and the public alike.
Medical practitioners are calling attention to the urgent need for reform in how medical trainees are treated. Many of these trainees work long hours in hospitals, providing essential services without compensation or basic benefits such as health insurance. Dr Miskellah criticized the memorandum of understanding between UoN and KNH, stating that it leaves trainees vulnerable, unrecognized as employees, and without access to medical services in times of need.
In response to Dr Chacha’s death, doctors across the country have taken to the streets in protest, demanding the government address delayed remittances to the Social Health Authority, which have denied them access to healthcare services. They are also opposing a proposal to slash medical interns’ salaries by nearly half and have threatened a nationwide strike if their demands are not met. The KMPDU has warned of a complete withdrawal of services starting May 9 if these issues remain unresolved. The union is also pushing for parliamentary intervention to ensure comprehensive health coverage for all healthcare workers and strict enforcement of employer obligations in remitting health insurance premiums.
Dr Chacha’s untimely death, under such preventable circumstances, has become a powerful symbol of systemic failures in Kenya’s healthcare sector and the urgent need for reform.
